SACRAMENTO – The Kings acquired Jonas Valančiūnas nearly seven weeks ago to provide some protection and back-up for center Domantas Sabonis, a job that the 32-year-old Lithuanian handled fairly well during his first six weeks in Sacramento.
With Sabonis unable to play for at least the next week due to a severely sprained right ankle, Valančiūnas has had to shoulder more of the work load on both ends of the court.
While his role with the team has changed Valančiūnas sees no reason to change anything.
“It’s still basketball. You gotta take the ball and put it in the basket,” Valančiūnas said. “Yeah, you have more responsibilities as a starter, but one thing, no matter what, starting or come off the bench, you want to win the game. Whatever your contribution is, you got to put it on.”
The Kings weren’t successful in chasing that goal down against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday at Golden 1 Center, losing 114-108 in a game that had ramifications to their NBA playoff hopes.
With 12 games remaining in the 2024-25 NBA regular season, the Kings are trying to hold onto the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference. Saturday’s loss trimmed Sacramento’s lead to 1 1/2 games over the Phoenix Suns, who are in the final spot for the NBA play-in tournament.
It’ll be anything but an easy stroll to the finish for interim coach Doug Christie’s squad. Sacramento has games next week against the defending champion Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who current reside atop the West standings.
Sabonis is almost certain to sit that game out, and it’s possible, if not probable, that starting point guard Malik Monk might miss that game, too.
Valančiūnas will be there and said it doesn’t matter who suits up for the Kings.
“Every game matters for us big time,” he said. “Yeah we got a tough schedule, but that’s no excuse. We got to man up and do it. There’s no other way.”
Valančiūnas has been manning up just fine as far as Christie is concerned.
Before Sabonis sustained a cut over his left eye and rolled his right ankle against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Valančiūnas was averaging 11 points and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 54.6 percent.
In the three games since then, his number have risen slightly. He had 18 points and seven rebounds against the Bucks while logging 27 minutes, his most in more than two weeks.
“Jonas has been spectacular for us,” Christie said. “He adds a physical presence, his size, protection at the rim. We try to keep him in coverage and not play him outside of the things that we know that he’s comfortable in doing. He has just been a consummate teammate and professional. ‘Whatever you need coach, two minutes, four minutes, whatever it is.’
“For a coach, you can’t ask for anything more.”
All because Valančiūnas has maintained the same focus that he has had all season when coming off the bench.
“I’m just playing the game,” he said. “I’m not trying to do something special, not trying to take over the world. I’m just doing my stuff, setting good screens, rolling, fighting for the rebounds, playing defense. All my life I did that stuff and I’m going to keep doing it.”
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