The Sacramento Kings seem to have found a new zeal following their four-game losing streak. That too, the team managed to do it without their key piece in the starting lineup, DeMar DeRozan. Sac-Town took on the thriving Minnesota Timberwolves side and defeated them comfortably to end their misery. On the other end, the Portland Trail Blazers, who haven’t tasted victory in a while, have a chance to surprise the fans on Black Friday, as they take on the Kings in the NBA Cup group stage game.
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While the Blazers have a disappointing 7-12 record in the West, as the 13th seed, they have a better record in the NBA Cup. In fact, looking at the current standings of the West Group A, Portland (1-1) has more chances of qualifying for the knockouts than the Kings (0-2)! So, the regular season record barely plays a role in the upcoming game. However, the injury report does play an important part.
The Sacramento side, which had a blessing in disguise in the last outing, still seems to ride on that luck. In the last game, the team made a surprise addition to replace DeMar DeRozan, owing to his back injury. And it proved to serve well, as they snapped their losing streak. Well, Jae Crowder, who replaced him, seems like he will get another opportunity as a starter, as the team listed DeRozan out for the NBA Cup challenge tomorrow. Apart from him, the team has also listed out Trey Lyles and Isaiah Crawford indefinitely.
Kings' injury report for Friday's game vs. the Blazers: OUT — Devin Carter (shoulder); DeMar DeRozan (back); Trey Lyles (calf).
Unfortunately, the underdogs of tomorrow’s match-up have a pretty lengthy injury report. With Matisse Thybulle and Donovan Clingan out indefinitely, the team has a positive update regarding a few other players. Kris Murray, who missed the last two games, will stay in the Questionable category. Meanwhile, the team moved the trusted bigs, Jerami Grant and Robert Williams III, to the doubtful category. If the stars align, we could see them in action tomorrow, raising the stakes for the Blazers.
Blazers vs Kings: Starting line up and depth chart for the NBA Cup challenge
Jae Crowder had an interesting moment ahead of his season debut. Before the game against the Wolves, the 13-season experienced forward was a free agent. Out of nowhere, he received a call from the Kings’ management to lace up immediately to replace DeMar DeRozan. Guess what? The hoopster not only played the game but also started for the team. Crowder ended the game with 8 points with four boards and also a game-high +/- of +16. So, we can expect a lot coming out of the veteran.
Sacramento Kings
| POSITION | STARTING LINEUP | 2nd UNIT | 3rd UNIT |
| PG | De’Aaron Fox | Malik Monk | Jordan McLaughlin |
| SG | Keon Ellis | Kevin Huerter | |
| SF | Jae Crowder | Colby Jones | |
| PF | Keegan Murray | Doug McDermott | |
| C | Domantas Sabonis | Issac Jones | Alex Len |
Portland Trail Blazers
| POSITION | STARTING LINEUP | 2nd UNIT | 3rd UNIT |
| PG | Anfernee Simons | Scoot Henderson | – |
| SG | Shaedon Sharpe | Dalano Banton | – |
| SF | Toumano Camara | Rayan Rupert | – |
| PF | Jabari Walker | Deni Avdija | – |
| C | DeAndre Ayton | Duop Reath | – |
The Blazers are pretty much a short-handed squad and haven’t had success in a while apart from their surprise attack on the Rockets a few days ago. Moreover, with Jerami Grant and Robert Williams III having increasingly positive odds to lace up for the game, the Blazers have a chance to spring a surprise against the Kings. What do you think? Who will win? Let us know in the comments.