An replace to Haliburton’s damage is predicted subsequent week when the crew returns to Sacramento, however he’ll miss the 2 video games remaining on the three-game highway journey.
The Kings put 2020 within the rearview mirror and following their 122-119 loss in Houston on New 12 months’s Eve, felt optimistic concerning the 12 months forward, heading into 2021 with a successful document.
That optimism was rapidly shaken with Friday’s information that Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered a scary fall within the fourth quarter of Thursday’s loss to the Rockets, will likely be out after an MRI confirmed a bone bruise in his left wrist.
The damage is in the identical wrist that the 12th general decide of the 2020 NBA Draft fractured final 12 months, chopping brief his sophomore season at Iowa State.
Haliburton’s fall got here throughout a dunk try with 10:42 left within the fourth quarter, when he went up for a one-handed dunk, which was damaged up by Houston’s John Wall. He fell onerous on his bottom and laid on his abdomen for a second on the baseline earlier than rolling over onto his again to be helped by teammates. He was seen alert and rubbing his proper wrist, earlier than being helped up by teammates and strolling below his personal energy to the Kings bench.
The 20-year-old Haliburton remained within the recreation and even hit a giant three-point shot in entrance of the Rockets bench down the stretch to drag Sacramento inside one level of Houston with 22.Four second remaining within the recreation. He would end with 11 factors and two steals in his 27 minutes off the bench.
Following the sport, Kings coach Luke Walton mentioned the Kings rookie was getting checked out by the crew’s medical employees.
“To my information, he’s OK,” Walton advised the media through Zoom on Thursday night time. “He advised me a number of occasions he’s OK. As I walked in there, he’s within the coaching room. Clearly that was a fairly onerous fall.”
An replace to Haliburton’s damage is predicted subsequent week when the crew returns to Sacramento, however he’ll miss a minimum of the following two video games on the three-game highway journey.
Sacramento will go to the Rockets once more on Saturday afternoon at Toyota Middle earlier than assembly the Warriors at San Francisco’s Chase Middle on Monday night time.
Haliburton has been an enormous vivid spot within the opening weeks of the 2020-21 season, averaging 10.6 factors (.529 FG, .500), 4.Four assists, 2.zero rebounds and 1.zero steals per contest, by the primary 5 video games. He’s averaged 26.eight minutes per recreation off the Kings bench.
Observe Sean Cunningham on Twitter: @SeanCunningham
