Kings Blog and Q&A

How big of an impact were injuries on the Kings' 2011-12 season?

The Kings actually had it better than most teams.

According to Harvey Pollack, director of statistical information for the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets were hit hardest by injury/illness.

The Nets led the NBA with 16 players missing time for a total of 248 games.

The Kings were tied for the sixth-fewest games lost at 73, along with Detroit. The games lost were spread out among 10 Kings.

Marcus Thornton accounted for 15 of the lost games. Thornton led the Kings with 18.7 points per game and the Kings were 3-12 without him.

DeMarcus Cousins missed only one game due to illness. Tyreke Evans missed only three games.

So for most of the season, the Kings' two cornerstone draft picks were available and healthy.

The Kings saw their top-2 offseason additions miss a chunk of games because of injuries.

John Salmons (illness, sore hip) missed 20 games and Chuck Hayes (dislocated shoulder, food poisoning) missed 10 games.

J.J. Hickson was the other offseason acquisition expected to make an impact, but instead fizzled before being bought out. He missed eight games.

Without getting too deep, I think the data shows Evans and Cousins alone at this stage of their careers was not enough to turn the Kings around.

Yes, I'm stating the obvious.

Below are the totals for the entire league:

Copy of Injury.Illness (2011.2012)-1.xls

LOS ANGELES - Kings guard Marcus Thornton (bruised left calf) will miss his third consecutive game tonight when the Kings play the Los Angeles Clippers.

John Salmons (sore right hip) is also out again. Salmons has missed the last six games.

Cousins is fine

When asked what his reaction was to being fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing officiating following shootaround, Cousins jokingly yelled "No!!!!"

"It's OK," Cousins said in a more serious tone. "It's over with. I'm moving on."

Kings forward Jason Thompson talks to reporters following the Kings' 103-102 loss to the Utah Jazz at Power Balance Pavilion.

Kings forward Jason Thompson has a sprained left ankle and is day-to-day, the team announced.

Thompson came up limping after Al Jefferson's game-winning shot with 0.9 seconds left in the Utah Jazz's 103-102 win over the Kings and had to be helped to the locker room.

Thompson said he had tweaked the ankle earlier in the game and stepped awkwardly on the final play. He was walking on his own in the locker room.

Guard Tyreke Evans addresses the media following the Kings' 124-112 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

Kings guard Tyreke Evans has a sprained left ankle and is day-to-day, a team spokesman said.

Evans appeared to land awkwardly and turn the ankle with 4:20 remaining in the Kings' 124-112 loss to the Pistons on Wednesday night. He was helped off the court and did not return to the game.

Evans said after the game the ankle was not swollen. X-rays on the ankle were negative, the team announced.

Evans scored a team-high 23 points as the Kings lost their third consecutive game and fell to 14-29. They next play Friday night against the Boston Celtics at Power Balance Pavilion.

Kings forward J.J. Hickson (hip pointer) practiced with the team today for the first time since landing on the hip after going up for a rebound against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 1.

Hickson has missed the Kings' last six games with the injury.

"He was OK," said Kings head coach Keith Smart. "We stayed in the half-court today, he didn't do a whole lot. ... He got on the floor, got a chance to move around, but we stayed in the half-court today."

Hickson is averaging 4.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 34 games this season.

Kings head coach Keith Smart talks about his goals for the team's nine-game homestand and other topics following Thursday's practice.

Kings center DeMarcus Cousins took part in some of the team's practice today and should be good to go Friday night when the Kings play the Dallas Mavericks, said head coach Keith Smart.

Cousins sat out the Kings' win over the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night with food poisoning, the first time he has missed an NBA game due to injury or illness.

"He got on the floor, ran today a little bit, was not totally himself based on what had taken place for him, but he was OK," Smart said. "... He'll be ready tomorrow."

* Forward J.J. Hickson (hip pointer) did not practice as he continues his recovery from the injury sustained last Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.

"Just still going through his rehab," Smart said. "I won't do anything with him until the trainers have released him."

In the first two-plus months of the season the Kings have been among the healthiest teams in the NBA according to information compiled by Harvey Pollack, Director of Statistical Information for the Philadelphia 76ers

In games played through Feb. 29, the Kings had three players miss a total of 19 games due to injury or illness (John Salmons, Marcus Thornton and Chuck Hayes would be the three players).

That's the third fewest games lost and tied with the Phoenix Suns for fewest players missing games with injuries.

The New Jersey Nets have had a league-high 11 players miss a total of 123 games.

By Jason Jones

jejones@sacbee.com

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Kings center DeMarcus Cousins will not play tonight because of mid back spasms.

Coach Keith Smart did not indicate who would start for Cousins.

Chuck Hayes or J.J. Hickson are the likely choices.

Cousins is averaging 16.3 points and a team-leading 11.3 rebounds.

CHICAGO -- Reigning league MVP Derrick Rose has been ruled out for tonight's game against the Kings because of back spasms.

This will be the third consecutive game Rose has missed, and eighth overall with back and big toe issues.

Rose is listed as day-to-day after a specialist determined Rose has no structural damage in his back.

Rose is averaging 22 points and 7.8 assists this season.

The Kings will be without leading scorer Marcus Thornton one to two weeks after a diagnostic ultrasound test performed today at the UC Davis Medical Center revealed a significant hematoma in his left thigh.

Thornton was diagnosed with a thigh contusion and after he was kneed by Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard Jan. 8. Howard was setting a screen when Thornton ran into him.

Thornton missed three games before returning to the lineup. He re-aggravated the injury last Friday at San Antonio and left last Saturday's game at Memphis in the second quarter when his leg stiffened up.

Thornton has missed four games because of the injury. He leads the Kings at 16.4 points per game.

PORTLAND - John Salmons has been released from the hospital and is due in Portland tonight. He is questionable for Monday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Salmons missed Saturday night's game at Memphis with what is believed to be food poisoning. Head trainer Manny Romero stayed with Salmons and will fly back with him.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Kings forward John Salmons did not make the team chartered flight to Portland following Saturday night's128-95 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies because of a stomach virus.

Salmons is kept at an area hospital overnight.

Salmons notified team training staff around 7 a.m. this morning that he was feeling sick and did not attend Saturday's game.

The Kings play at Portland on Monday.

PHILADELPHIA -- Guard Marcus Thornton (left thigh contusion) will miss tonight's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Rookie Jimmer Fredette will make his first start of the regular season in place of Thornton.

Fredette will handle point guard duties, though Tyreke Evans will still initiate the offense too.

Thornton leads the Kings in scoring at 18.7 points per game.

The Kings announced Chuck Hayes will miss three to four weeks because of a dislocated left shoulder.

Hayes was injured in the second quarter of Thursday night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

J.J. Hickson or Jason Thompson figure to take Hayes' place in the starting lineup.

Kings forward/center Chuck Hayes left tonight's game against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second quarter with a dislocated left shoulder.

Tyreke Evans made four free throws in the final minute to finish with 26 points, and Sacramento overcame a 21-point halftime deficit to stun the Milwaukee Bucks 103-100 on Thursday night hours after the Kings fired coach Paul Westphal. Read more.

Hayes was injured extending his arm and colliding with Bucks center Drew Gooden.

Hayes stayed down on the court for a few minutes before leaving the court with medical staff.

The Kings announced today the team has waived forward Lawrence Hill and guard Adrian Oliver, trimming the roster to 13 players.

Hill (6-8, 220), a Stanford product, and Oliver (6-4, 210), who played at Modesto Christian High School, were both signed on Dec. 10. Neither played in Tuesday night's final preseason game against the Golden State Warriors, and they were not at practice today.

* Guard Marcus Thornton did not practice after he had to go to the hospital in the middle of the night with a kidney stone, head coach Paul Westphal said. Thornton passed the kidney stone and Westphal said he is day-to-day.

* Forward John Salmons also did not practice. Westphal said Salmons (right quadriceps contusion) still has "a lot of pain in that bruised thigh" and is day-to-day. Salmons worked out individually during part of the practice session on a side court.

-- Matt Kawahara

I am still working for further confirmation, but I have been told by two sources close to the situation that Chuck Hayes failed his physical exam because he was diagnosed with Pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac that surrounds the heart. The Kings subsequently nullified the veteran forward's four-year, $21 million deal.

Hayes, who had been penciled into Paul Westphal's starting lineup, has asked the Kings to refrain from commenting and plans to address the matter himself at a later date.

Following the death of former Atlanta Hawks center Jason Collier on Oct. 15, 2005, the NBA imposed more extensive cardiac testing during the players' annual preseason physicals. Collins died of a sudden heart rhythm disturbance caused by an enlarged heart. He was 28.

The excitement about signing Chuck Hayes for the Kings wasn't just that Hayes would improve the team defense.

It was that Hayes could have signed elsewhere but chose Sacramento. For a franchise looking for some good news this offseason, Hayes choosing to be a King was a sign things might be turning for the better.

So the news that a heart abnormality would cause Hayes' contract to be voided hit the team hard. Hayes is a likeable guy and had quickly won over coaches and teammates.

The Kings could have as few two projected starters when they play at the Golden State Warriors Saturday.

Tyreke Evans (sprained left foot) practiced Friday and is probable. That is the most encouraging news on the injury front.

DeMarcus Cousins (sprained right ankle) is questionable. John Salmons (right quad contusion) is doubtful and Chuck Hayes is out while awaiting results on further tests on his heart after an abnormality showed up on a test.

Here's the latest on Chuck Hayes.

The Kings don't know what doctors found wrong on his echo stress test.

"The doctors have to get more information," said Kings coach Paul Westphal. "When we get more information we'll say something."

John Salmons left Thursday night's open scrimmage with a right quad contusion and will not play the rest of the evening.

More details will be provided when they become available.

The Kings are now without four starters tonight (DeMarcus Cousins, Tyreke Evans, Chuck Hayes and Salmons).

Cousins has a sprained right ankle. Evans has a sprained left foot. Chuck Hayes is undergoing tests after a recent stress tests showed abnormalities.

Below is a statement from the Kings regarding Chuck Hayes"

"A recent stress echo test performed on Kings' center/forward Chuck Hayes revealed an abnormality which will require further testing this evening and tomorrow. An update will be provided as more information becomes available."

Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins both did not finish practice Wednesday because of injuries.

Cousins sprained his right ankle and Evans sprained his left foot. Each injury happened because they landed on the foot of a teammate.

Each is listed as day-to-day. Kings coach Paul Westphal did not know if either would be available for Thursday's open scrimmage at Power Balance Pavilion.