Sacramento’s competition keeps getting weaker due to injuries

The Kings had a clean bill of health with De’Aaron Fox returning to the lineup for Thursday’s nationally televised game against the New York Knicks at Golden 1 Center.

The same cannot be said for some of the teams chasing the Kings in the Western Conference playoff race. The Memphis Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans are all dealing with injury concerns or other issues with just over four weeks remaining in the regular season.

The Kings and Memphis Grizzlies were tied for second in the West going into Thursday’s games with Sacramento holding the tiebreaker by virtue of its conference record. The Suns were two games back in fourth followed by the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Mavericks, Lakers and Pelicans.

The Kings will face the Suns in a big Western Conference showdown Saturday at Footprint Center in Phoenix, but the status of newly acquired star Kevin Durant is in doubt. Durant, acquired in a blockbuster deal at the NBA trade deadline, was expected to make his home debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, but the 13time All-Star went down with a sprained ankle during pregame warmups.

The Arizona Republic’s Greg Moore reported Durant left the arena in a walking boot Wednesday. There was concern within the organization that Durant suffered a grade 2 sprain, which would likely sideline him for four to six weeks, meaning he could miss the rest of the regular season and possibly the start of the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are dealing with issues on multiple fronts. The team announced Wednesday that All-Star point guard Ja Morant will remain away from the team for at least four more games after brandishing what appeared to be a firearm in an Instagram Live video. Police in Glendale, Colorado closed their investigation into the incident, saying: “There was not enough available evidence to charge anyone with a crime.”

Grizzlies center Steven Adams recently received a stem cell injection in his injured right knee. He will be reevaluated in four weeks, presumably before the playoffs begin. Adams has been out since Jan. 23. The Grizzlies have gone 7-11 in his absence.

The Mavericks expected to make a big move in the West after acquiring Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline, but they fell into a tie with the Timberwolves for seventh in the West following a 113106 loss to the Pelicans on Wednesday. They also lost star Luka Doncic, who underwent an MRI after leaving the game with a left thigh strain.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the MRI was “clean,” noting Doncic is expected to return “as soon as discomfort allows him.” The Mavericks will play some pivotal games in the Western Conference playoff race over the next two weeks, including three games against the Grizzlies, one against the Lakers and one against the Warriors.

The Pelicans and Lakers are clinging to the last two play-in spots in the West. The Lakers are missing four-time MVP LeBron James, who could return from a foot injury in time for the playoffs, if his team reaches the postseason. The Pelicans are missing All-Star forward Zion Williamson, who is expected to miss at least two more weeks with a strained hamstring.