Kings Have Major Injury Update vs Detroit Pistons

Malik Monk is out for the rest of the Kings-Pistons battle.

Dec 26, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) controls the ball against Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

As the Detroit Pistons and the Sacramento Kings battle it out on Monday night in Michigan, the visitors lost a key player during the first half.

Malik Monk left the court with what appeared to be a lower-body injury. After getting checked out by Sacramento’s medical staff, the Kings ultimately decided to hold out Monk for the remainder of the matchup.

Status alert: Malik Monk (calf) won't return Monday.

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) April 8, 2025

Heading into Monday’s game, Monk had started 45 of the 64 games he’s appeared in this year. The veteran guard has been averaging 17 points while shooting 33 percent from three on seven attempts per game. Along with his scoring, he’s been dishing out six assists per game and coming down with four rebounds per outing.

On Monday, Monk was resuming a role off the bench. He appeared on the court for just six minutes before calling it a night. The veteran put up three shots from the field, with one of them coming from beyond the arc. The Kings guard produced two points and one assist before checking out.

The Pistons are on the hunt to get back into the winner’s column on Monday. Heading into the matchup, Detroit held the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 43-35 record. They trailed one game behind the fifth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, who are on a four-game winning streak.

At this stage in the season, the Pistons have their ticket to the 2025 NBA Playoffs. The only question left for them is whether they’ll take up the fifth or sixth seed, which will determine who they play. A win against Sacramento could be another step toward jumping the Bucks in the standings.