Domantas Sabonis, Harrison Barnes questionable for matchup against Lakers

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Domantas Sabonis has put the Sacramento Kings on his broad shoulders and carried the team on plenty of nights this season. The two-time All-Star center is currently riding a streak of eight consecutive double-doubles, including two, 20-plus point, 20-plus rebound games in his last three outings.

Late in the loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, Sabonis took a spill and came out of the incident holding his left hand. The big man was already getting treatment when the media was allowed into the practice facility on Tuesday morning, and the evening injury report has Sabonis listed as questionable with left hand soreness.

Sabonis has yet to miss a game this season for Sacramento, suiting up in all 29 games. He’s posting some of the best numbers of his career, averaging 18 points, 12 rebounds and 6.4 assists, while shooting 62.7 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from 3-point range.

Questionable in the NBA world means that there is a 50/50 chance that Sabonis will make an appearance in what could be a very important game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

To add to the intrigue, Kings head coach Mike Brown has used a revolving door of players at the backup five position over the last few games, including Chimezie Metu, Richaun Holmes and two-way player Neemias Queta.

Over the last few days, the conversation surrounding the Kings centered around who will backup Sabonis for the 10-12 minutes per night when he rests. Brown is looking for something very specific from the player who fills in, and that is before we even get to the question of who will start if Sabonis misses games.

“I know for sure I can’t have that spot bring energy, cuz it’s not a ton of minutes,” Brown said. “I know for sure that spot cannot not rebound. I know for sure that spot cannot foul 2-3 (times) in the matter of six minutes.”

Holmes began the season as the backup behind Sabonis, but that lasted just eight games. Whatever the reason, Holmes just looked a step slow on both ends of the court and Brown shifted quickly to Metu.

Metu, who has primarily played at the power forward spot over the last few years, earned a 20-game trial run behind Sabonis. His versatility and switchability was appealing to Brown, especially on the defensive end, but the 25-year-old began to show signs of regression, especially as a defender and rebounder, over the last five or six games.

After playing in 21 straight games, Metu was a healthy scratch on Monday. Instead of going back to Holmes, which Brown had done in small doses over the previous two games, the Kings’ head coach threw Queta to the wolves, or more specifically, the Hornets.

“I am searching, that’s why I gave Neemy an opportunity and guys just have to stay ready,” Brown said following practice on Tuesday. “When we give someone that we feel like can give us consistent minutes in that spot, we’ll roll with them until we think that spot's not producing.”

It wasn’t perfect. The 23-year-old giant out of Portugal took a few minutes to get comfortable, but once he found his sea legs, he started setting huge screens, rebounding the ball and protecting the rim. Queta finished the night with two points, four rebounds and a block in seven minutes.

“Knowing my role, I’ve got to come in there and just play hard, just get rebounds, go fight for loose balls, get my teammates open and do it the best I can,” Queta said following Tuesday’s practice.

According to Queta, Brown informed him early on Monday that he would get an opportunity. The seven-footer has spent most of the season with the Stockton Kings of the G League posting huge numbers. In 31.4 minutes per game, Queta is averaging 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, three assists and 1.9 blocks.

Queta is developing as a distributor, which may help him earn minutes at the NBA level. He’s a tremendous screen setter and he clears a huge path due to his size. If he can stay out of foul trouble and try to learn some of the nuances of the game that Sabonis has already mastered, he could earn more time.

With the Stockton Kings currently playing in the G League Showcase in Las Vegas, the Kings made a decision over the weekend to keep Queta with the parent club. If he can quickly get acclimated to the speed of the NBA, he may have a shot to earn a role, especially if Sabonis is going to be limited in any way.

“It’s a big difference,” Queta said. “Guys in the G League, you get to run more, you get the ball in more comfortable spots, you’re more used to being there than you are here. But at the end of the day, I like to say, it’s just basketball. You know what you’ve got to do.”

We’ll know more on Wednesday as to Sabonis’ availability, but he is a warrior who hasn’t missed a game all season. He understands the importance of the current six game home-stand, and if he is able to manage the pain in his hand, the coaching staff will have a difficult time keeping him off the court.

In addition to Sabonis, the Kings could potentially be without Harrison Barnes against LA. Barnes came up limping in the third quarter against the Hornets, and was ruled out with right quad soreness. Like Sabonis, he is listed as questionable against the Lakers.

Barnes has quietly made a nice recovery after a tough start to the season. He’s appeared in all 29 games for the Kings this season, posting 13.8 points and 5.3 rebounds in 31.4 minutes a night. He is the Kings’ swiss army knife and Brown relies heavily on him from one game to the next.

If Barnes can’t play, Brown will have options. If the Kings go small, Terence Davis could get a look in the starting lineup as a small forward. The Kings could also try KZ Okpala, especially early in the game against LeBron James to see if he can slow down the superstar forward.

There is never a good time to have injuries pile up, but the Kings could really use a strong home stand to bolster their place in the Western Conference standings.

The Lakers have already ruled out Anthony Davis and Juan Toscano-Anderson due to injury. Austin Reeves is doubtful due to illness, Russell Westbrook is questionable with left foot soreness and James is probable with left ankle soreness.

Free Throws and All-Star Voting

Over the last 24 hours, the Kings have refused to acknowledge that missing 14 free throws in a six point game was the reason for the team's loss. But when the media showed up to practice, every single healthy player was on the court shooting from the line.

Sacramento currently ranks 18th in the league in free throw percentage at 77.8 percent. Monday's loss was the third time this season that a few extra makes from the charity stripe could have changed the final outcome of a game.

In an interesting side note, the Kings had seven different players step to the line and shoot a free throw against the Hornets. All seven players missed at least one free throw as the team finished 17-of-31 for the game.

It's not all doom and gloom. The Kings currently sit at 16-13 on the season, which is good enough for sixth place in the Western Conference standings. With their team's success comes personal accolades as well.

Brown opened practice by imploring fans around the globe to vote for both Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox.

You can find a link to the NBA's voting page here. The Kings haven't had an All-Star since DeMarcus Cousins during the 2016-17 season. They also traded Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans during the All-Star game that season.

Both Fox and Sabonis are worthy of consideration, especially with the Kings' strong start to the season.