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Willie Cauley-Stein out at least two games with a back injury

By Tyler Watts

SACRAMENTO, CA - NOVEMBER 17: Willie Cauley-Stein #00 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 17, 2017 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - NOVEMBER 17: Willie Cauley-Stein #00 of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 17, 2017 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Willie Cauley-Stein injured his back on Dec. 2 against the Milwaukee Bucks.  Read on for an update on that injury and who steps up with WCS sidelined.

The Sacramento Kings had a bad night on Dec. 2 game against the Milwaukee Bucks.  The Kings lost the contest 109-104 against a tough team.  It was the second time in a week the Bucks took them down.  Willie Cauley-Stein was injured in the second quarter as well.  Below is a highlight video from the game in case you missed the action.

The update of Cauley-Stein’s injury is not positive.  James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area tweeted the following:

What the news means

Obviously, WCS will miss Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Friday’s game in New Orleans versus the Pelicans.  I would not be surprised to see him miss a few more.  If Trill is not traveling with the team on the remainder of this road trip that likely means he is not close to seeing game action.  Cauley-Stein‘s lower back strain could keep him out for a week or more so stay tuned for further news on the injury.

Who steps up?

My colleague Rafe Wong wrote about Sacramento’s puzzling move to swap Skal Labissiere and Georgios Papagiannis between the main and G-League rosters in the aftermath of the injury here.  The decision was a bit of a head-scratcher, but it gives us some clarity of who plays with Cauley-Stein sidelined.

For the next two games, the available big men are likely to be Zach Randolph, Kosta Koufos, Georgios Papagiannis, JaKarr Sampson and Jack Cooley.  Randolph has to be one of the two starters with the other spot still up in the air.  I would guess we see Z-Bo, Koufos, Sampson, and Papagiannis eat the playing time at the four and five over the remainder of this road trip.  I will admit Coach Joerger can be a complicated man to read when it comes to rotations, though.  Stay tuned.

Final thoughts

Willie Cauley-Stein had been on a tear lately, but a back injury suffered in Saturday’s loss to the Bucks will keep him out at least the next two games.  Hopefully, WCS makes a speedy recovery and can play when the Kings return home to face the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.  Fingers crossed.

Next: Why Michael Porter Jr. could be a draft steal for the Kings

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