The Sacramento Kings have provided an update on Monday regarding Domantas Sabonis‘ injury:
Today the Sacramento Kings announced that center Domantas Sabonis sustained an avulsion fracture of the ulnar collateral ligament of the right thumb during Friday’s game versus the Wizards. The injury was confirmed through extensive consultations with Kings team physicians and outside specialists. Sabonis will be listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game against Denver.
While a fracture around the thumb is not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, the fact that Sabonis is listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game is an encouraging sign. It still wouldn’t be shocking if Sabonis ends up missing at least a game or two, I suspect it’s going to depend on his pain level on a day by day basis, but it’s great news that Sabonis hasn’t immediately been ruled out for any length of time.
Tomorrow kicks off a home-and-home back to back series against the Denver Nuggets.
Having flashbacks to the viral meningitis season.
Perfect timing! We meet up with Michael Malone again, and next thing you know Mike Brown is fired!
We got by with a couple of games without Fox because we had Mitchell, but without Sabonis, this is not good at all.
Did some quick sleuthing via google. Rarely do you need surgery. Sometimes it’s casted. Mostly looks like ice and rest. I’m thinking they might be able to tape it up and keep it from moving too much. But yeah might hurt and he’d need some rest.
Turns out to be the same injury that Aaron Rodgers has been playing with since October.
https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article270452197.html
Now we’ve got TWO Huerters on the team.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/avulsion-fracture/expert-answers/faq-20058520
It’s probably a good time for him to take a couple of extra days to rest anyway. Going up against the Joker was not going to be a picnic even with two opposable thumbs.
An avulsion fracture can happen anywhere that a ligament attaches to bone. Instead of the ligament failing, the bone it attaches to does. As such, an avulsion fracture is effectively a ligament injury as the ligament’s function is compromised in either case.
The UCL of thumb is an important ligament. Treatment is dictated by the degree of disruption and the stability of the joint. If significantly disrupted and the joint is unstable, surgery is typically mandated. Similarly if the avulsion fracture has significantly displaced, he would be getting surgery.
It does not sound like surgery is anticipated in this instance, so the fracture must have remained in a “nondisplaced” position and his joint largely stable. I’m surprised they are not committing him to a period of dedicated immobilization. They must feel that they can effectively protect the injury with taping and bracing. Guessing here – but his ability to play probably depends if he can perform with a bulky brace on his off hand thumb.
Thanks for the insight! This is why I love this community!
“I love it when doctors work with athletes.”
He’s not a doctor, but he plays one on a TV commercial.
“Does he know you tripped over a basketball?”
There is a wide range of possibilities within the diagnosis of “avulsion fracture of ulnar collateral ligament right thumb”
Avulsion means that a chip of bone has been pulled loose. This is common. The size and distance from the joint are important. A stress test is performed on that joint to test laxity, pain and function. You do not want a lax stress test.
it is not uncommon to fix these with surgery- wire the whole thing back in place. But at the other end of possibility is rest and bracing but even that can take significant time.
The torn or partially torn ligament will heal, the avulsed bone will “knit” back to the place where it popped off from (most of the time) but banging on it will either slow the healing or make it worse.
If there is minimal laxity from the stress test at the joint, if the avulsed bone is small and not too far displaced and bracing/taping can immobilize the joint, he may be able to play. That is a lot of “ifs”.
To Monte- do not panic and try to replace him
To Mike Brown- you might have to change plans according to the new personnel.
this injury is also called Gamekeepers Thumb or Skiers Thumb.
and to Jack- don’t trade his thumb !!!!!
JUST TRADE THE THUMB!!!!!!!
I have tickets to the game tomorrow. I plan to brave the weather, but I feel it would be best to let Sabonis sit and rest. I’m fully expecting a loss. My armchair doctor analysis doesn’t want to him to hurt it more and be out longer (I’m not ever sure it’s possible to hurt it more, but still…)
Going tomorrow as well withmy son. It’s my first of the year and possibly only. I’m selfishly hoping he does play without hurting himself further.
I’ve been offline all day and and of course the first place I went to obviously when I signed on was TKH and saw the headline and the first thing that came to mind was “Shit we’re fucked” After reading further I feel a little more optimistic but if Domas is out for any length of time our season is over
OMG! How is Domas going to text effectively with just one thumb!
&ct=g
He’s a gladiator. He’ll push through the pain!
Nobody can meaningfully play basketball without both thumbs. Six + weeks to fully heal. Rushing back could mean a serious re-injury, even with a cast or splint on–the game is extremely physical even for the most conditioned athletes. This is likely to mean Sabonis is out for several weeks. Kings have no true back up center and their explosive offense cannot run efficiently for 48 minutes without this particular skill set. Oh well, winning was fun while it lasted.
Let’s hope that Kings don’t actually send their players to Kaiser Permanente…
Probably UC Davis
Can you imagine if this injury happened to Marvin Bagley, he’d be done for the year. Sabonis is tough as nails.
the year? this would be considered career threatening.
His brother would probably sit out the year to honor him as well.
I just saw a report on yahoo which stated that Len would take Sabonis’s place in the starting lineup if Sabonis doesn’t play? Report on yahoo said Len took Sabonis’s place in starting lineup during recent practice.
I don’t mind Domas take the week off. Joker will have his points hopefully the rest are contained.
Brown is down to his last option. Metu didn’t work, Holmes didn’t work, Queta didn’t work, so now he’s down to Len.
FWIW, Len has played a total of 25 minutes this season, which is just one more minute played than Queta. Also, the most he has played is 5 minutes, which were in garbage time of blowout games. Len is really the only one left who hasn’t played in “real” minutes when it counts.
Would be interesting to know Brown’s mindset on this call: is he just matching size v. size with Len v. Jokic, or is he so jaded on his back-up C’s, that he’ll just throw out the guy he hasn’t given any minutes to lately?
If Sabonis doesn’t play I predict a healthy dose of all 4 backup bigs using a good chuck of their 24 available fouls on Jokic. It’s gonna be center by committee.
If memory serves, Len was matched up against Joker last season and did a fair job of defending him, Not great mind you, but he did make Joker work and contained him to a degree. Thus, it was not a surprise to me to see Len in the starting line up.
Should be a quick night for Len.
Be well, Domas.
Well, that really sucks.
For Domas too, I guess.
All fractures are bad. Miss Domas already
Hope Domas has a full recovery soon. Hope also he stays out as long as he needs to get better.
there is an interesting binary choice here: play as soon as possible vs. wait 6 weeks for optimal healing. Fractures, including avulsion fracture and damaged ligaments take that long.
There is really no middle ground as in wait 2 weeks and it will be healed enough.
He will take a few days off, primarily to get the swelling down but again binary- yes or no. Close to zero days vs. 6 weeks.
Hence, “stays out as long as he needs to get better” is really 6 weeks.
Sounds good.
I suspect he will (and probably should) miss a few games with this injury. It will be interesting to see how the team adjust its offense. Pushshots & PnR with Holmes (takes 3 other guys out of the offense a bit)?
Kings are unlikely to win either game against the Nuggets. Might as well let him rest.
this hurts because Kings need to make up for the two losses to “inferior ” teams, earlier in the last two weeks. Scrap the Nuggets and it is 4 losses in 5 games.
They do but Kings likely lose both games to the Nuggets even with Sabonis playing.
Jokic is gonna kick the crap out of us the next two games, isn’t he?
Assuming he plays both games, yes. He might sit out tomorrow. Lord knows he’s earned a rest day.
The backup 5 spot has been terrible all season. It’ll be a mistake if Monte waits until the trade deadline to make a move for one.
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