Two days ago, the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings had their first clash. An overtime thriller paved the way for the Kings to hold their nerves on the Dessert’s tough floor. Then, it was Demar DeRozan who remained unflappable to the crowd, putting on a second-half clinic to raise Sacramento to another win. Sadly, Deebo won’t be there to put his finishing touch on tonight’s game against the Kevin Durant-less Suns.

According to Underdog, DeRozan is suffering from a lower back strain and won’t return against the Suns. His back injury hindered him from being the technician he usually was. The expert scorer played 17 minutes, all in the first half, and could only shoot twice. Clearly, the back posed as an unpleasant barrier preventing him from using his most effective rebound.

DeRozan only scored 2 points in his time on the floor, unable to even generate any sort of movement to get to the charity stripe. Thankfully for Sacramento, De’Aaron Fox is driving the home team toward a potential win. Scoring at great efficiency, one last quarter remains to determine which of the two sides will win.

Without DeRozan, it surely becomes a challenge for the Kings to keep their composure. His dynamic besides Fox, a former Clutch Player of The Year winner makes Sacramento a formidable threat in the final quarter.

Moreover, the last time they called upon DeRozan against the Suns, he decimated the Suns’ defense and pulled off a miraculous win for Sacramento.

Why the Kings will hope DeMar DeRozan’s injury is minor

The first game against the Phoenix Suns provided a preview of how impactful DeMar DeRozan can be for a team. He has only played a few weeks with his teammates, still he has already attained an uninterrupted flow within the system. Against the Suns, he exploded for 34 points. He only had 12 of them in the first half.

In that overtime stretch, he didn’t miss. His jump shot has become his primary weapon. For the season, he is averaging close to 52% when shooting jumpers, among the most efficient marks in the league. Furthermore, his packing and choosing his moments patiently has allowed the Sacramento Kings to easily bend their game around him.

As a seasoned campaigner, DeRozan is one player barely affected by his age. Because of his technical prowess, he has upheld his consistent scoring mark, averaging 24.8 points this season, his 12th straight season averaging over 20 points per game.

Despite having played less than 20 games with his new squad, the top offensive lineups for the Kings all feature DeMar DeRozan. Currently, he has the third-best net differential for the Kings. At 35 years old, Deebo’s health has rarely been a concern. However, with the amount of toil his body has had throughout his long career, such minor inconveniences are bound to set in.

Do you think this will be a recurring concern for DeRozan? Let us know your views in the comments below.