Awaiting full backcourt complement, Thunder to host Kings

The Oklahoma City Thunder were looking forward to getting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander back on the floor with rookie Josh Giddey after the All-Star break.

They got it for one game, but the Thunder are still waiting for an encore, as Giddey will miss his second consecutive game due to hip soreness when Oklahoma City hosts the Sacramento Kings on Monday.

On Sunday, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault wouldn’t offer a timeline for Giddey’s return.

«He could miss some time,» Daigneault said.

Giddey had stepped into the spotlight during Gilgeous-Alexander’s 10-game absence with an ankle sprain going into the break, and Daigneault said he would play Gilgeous-Alexander off the ball more when he was on the floor with Giddey.

But Gilgeous-Alexander still figures to see more time off the ball, even with Giddey out, thanks to the recent emergence of another rookie point guard, Tre Mann.

Mann has averaged 21.8 points and 3.8 assists over his last four games, with just one total turnover in that span.

He had scored 20 points just once in the first 43 games of his career but has reached that mark in three of the last four.

«There’s a poise to him,» Daigneault said. «He doesn’t seem rattled by the moment. He’s a baller.»

Playing with or without Giddey, Gilgeous-Alexander has been strong in his two games back, averaging 34 points and five assists, though turning the ball over 13 times over the two games.

In two games against Sacramento this season, Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 27.5 points and four assists.

The Thunder are coming off a 129-125 overtime win at Indiana on Friday, but have lost seven of their last nine.

Monday’s game is the last of four meetings between the teams this season.

The Kings have won two of the first three, with the Thunder’s lone win coming Nov. 12 in Oklahoma City.

Monday’s matchup will be the first between the teams since the Kings acquired Domantas Sabonis from the Pacers at the trade deadline.

That move sent Richaun Holmes to a bench role after Holmes started 136 of 142 games over his three seasons in Sacramento.

Kings interim coach Alvin Gentry said Holmes remained a part of the team’s plans.

«I think he understands that we love him as a player,» Gentry said. «You think about everything he did for us last year, and hopefully he’s over all of these crazy injuries that he’s had, and he’ll have a good 20 games.»

Holmes could return Monday after missing the last two games due to back soreness.

Sabonis has back-to-back triple-doubles against the Thunder in his last two appearances with the Pacers. Both games were in Oklahoma City.

On Jan. 28, Sabonis had 24 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists for Indiana in a win over the Thunder.

Sabonis played his rookie season with the Thunder before going to Indiana as part of the package to acquire Paul George.

The Kings have dropped four consecutive games, including Saturday’s 115-110 loss at Denver.

Daigneault did not give an update on the other Thunder players who have missed time recently due to injury, including Luguentz Dort, Kenrich Williams or Ty Jerome.

–Field Level Media