To win the crucial Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the defending-champion Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings may have to do it without All-Star guard De'Aaron Fox.
Shams Charania of The Athletic broke some potentially devastating injury news on Fox Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the Warriors knotted the best-of-seven set at 2-2. Despite the loss, the lefty had a game-high 38 points and added nine rebounds and five assists as well.
Social media reacted in shock and dismay when seeing Charania's tweet.
That suuuuuuuucks. Feel awful for Kings fans https://t.co/aJblCPDpUs
— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) April 24, 2023
#thispostseason
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 24, 2023
Enough already ... https://t.co/Rvcb2RJ61H
This has to be the worst postseason injury-wise I’ve seen.
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) April 24, 2023
The fact that it comes after a load management-heavy regular season makes it more depressing. https://t.co/ChJhoDMldh
Picked fifth overall by the Kings in the 2017 NBA Draft, Fox has steadily improved every season, resulting in his first All-Star honor this past winter. Despite averaging two fewer minutes per game (33.4) than each of the last two seasons, Fox also posted a team-high 25.0 points per contest (just under a career-best) as well as 6.1 assists and a career-high 4.2 rebounds per game.
His 51.2% field goal percentage and 78.0% free throw percentage were also the best figures in his six pro seasons and his 32.4% three-point field goal percentage was his best mark in four years. Through four games, Fox has been one of the best players in the NBA playoffs, ranking tied for third in scoring (31.5 points per game) with Golden State's Stephen Curry, second in steals per contest (2.5) and eighth in assists (7.0), while grabbing 6.0 rebounds per game as well.
Momentum may have already been shifting back to the Warriors with their back-to-back wins at home in Games 3 and 4 and if Fox is out for Game 5, the Kings' magical season could soon be coming to a close.
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