The Sacramento Kings have had a Cinderella season in 2022-23, amassing a 42-27 record on their way to clinching a playoff spot for the first time in 16 years. However, they appeared to face their first major hurdle of the season on Saturday, with starting guard Kevin Huerter sustaining a hamstring injury during in the first quarter of their eventual victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
6. Not good. Kevin Huerter came into the night shooting 58.8 percent from three in the month of March. In the first quarter, he got tangled up and took an awkward fall in the lane. The early news is that he suffered a right hamstring strain and will have an MRI on Friday.
— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) March 17, 2023
As hamstring injuries can already be tricky, there was potential for Huerter to miss a chunk of time. However, Huerter will be day-to-day when he returns after the MRI he underwent came back clean, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
A gifted shooter and tertiary playmaker, Huerter has averaged 15.0 points and 2.9 assists per game this season while shooting 40.8 percent from 3-point range. Also capable of holding his own defensively, he's one of the better starting wings in the league and plays his role well, even if he may not be a household name.
That said, Kings head coach Mike Brown could opt to play Terence Davis in his stead, as he did on Saturday. Like Huerter, Davis can make an impact on both ends of the floor and do damage from beyond the arc. He isn't as reliable as Huerter offensively though, so Sixth Man of the Year candidate Malik Monk could see himself promoted to the starting lineup as well.
Fortunately, the conundrum is only temporary with Huerter back on the court soon. The Kings have become one of the best stories in the NBA this season and the fifth-year pro is a major part of that.
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