Doug Christie Backs Decision To Bench Domantas Sabonis In Kings' Loss

The Sacramento Kings were riding a four-game winning streak heading into Sunday's crippled against nan Portland Trail Blazers. However, each bully things must travel to an end. The Kings snapped their triumph streak pinch a 117-110 loss, moving to 12-31 connected nan season.

Things were trending up for nan Kings during their triumph streak erstwhile they sewage three-time All-Star halfway Domantas Sabonis backmost connected nan floor, and successful his return from a two-month absence, he impressed pinch 13 points, six rebounds, and 5 assists connected 5-6 shooting. However, successful Sunday's nonaccomplishment to nan Trail Blazers, his domiciled lessened.

Sabonis vanished nan nonaccomplishment pinch 8 points, 8 rebounds, and six turnovers connected 2-3 shooting from nan section successful 20 minutes. Most notably, Sabonis was connected nan chair for nan last 10 minutes of nan game. Afterwards, Kings caput coach Doug Christie explained nan determination to only play Sabonis for 20 minutes and chair him for nan mostly of nan 4th quarter.

"No," Christie said erstwhile asked if Sabonis is connected a infinitesimal restriction. "You know, he's conscionable coming back, this is conscionable crippled two. I mean, it's a process. That's all."

Kings move to rookie centers

It is unusual that Sabonis only played 20 minutes, contempt not being connected a restriction, but nan Kings cognize they person 2 different centers to thin on. Rookie centers Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell each had bigger roles successful Sunday's nonaccomplishment than Sabonis.

Raynaud has started some games since Sabonis' return, logging six points and 9 rebounds successful 23 minutes successful Sunday's loss. Cardwell, however, stole nan show, finishing pinch 12 points and 10 rebounds successful 26 minutes disconnected nan bench, logging his first profession double-double.

With Raynaud and Cardwell showcasing that they are nan early of Sacramento's halfway position, it will beryllium absorbing to spot really it impacts their semipermanent scheme pinch Sabonis. With nan waste and acquisition deadline conscionable complete 2 weeks away, Sabonis' early pinch nan Kings could beryllium successful jeopardy.

Christie besides addresses really nan Kings person a caller logjam astatine nan halfway position pinch nan return of Sabonis and nan emergence of Cardwell.

"Yeah, astir definitely. These are bully problems to have. [Cardwell's] rim protection, his activity, his contesting shots... His activity is high-level, and that's what we want. The rebounding... 10 rebounds, 2 offensive, and six fouls. He's not leaving thing connected nan board, that's for sure," Christie said.

Even erstwhile Sabonis is getting backmost into hit aft a two-month absence, galore would presume he would adjacent nan crippled for nan Kings. Still, though, Christie turned to nan two-way rookie successful Cardwell to adjacent nan game.

"I deliberation much than anything, it's nan expertise to sometimes move 1 done five. And his activity and rebounding, [Donovan] Clingan is conscionable an absolute monster down there. So you've sewage to make judge you're contesting astatine nan rim... Just trying to support group successful beforehand of america and past rebound nan basketball, and [Cardwell] was rebounding astatine a precocious level," Christie explained why Cardwell vanished nan crippled complete Sabonis.

Even though Sabonis is simply a proven All-Star, Christie went pinch Cardwell based connected nan matchup pinch Clingan, and he could proceed to make those decisions crippled by crippled pinch nan awesome halfway trio nan Kings person now.

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