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Kings rookie Marvin Bagley III out at least 10-14 days with knee injury

Marvin Bagley ranks fifth on the Kings in scoring this season with 13 points per game. (AP Photo)
Marvin Bagley ranks fifth on the Kings in scoring this season with 13 points per game. (AP Photo)

The Sacramento Kings’ surprisingly strong season will have to roll on without their prize rookie for a couple weeks, and possibly more.

Second-overall pick Marvin Bagley will be out for 10 to 14 days after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee on a hard fall during the Kings’ loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday, according to reports from Shams Charania of The Athletic and Marc Stein of The New York Times. Bagley will be re-evaluated once that time is up.

The injury came during an awkward landing while Bagley jostled for rebounding position in the second quarter. He left the game and did not return as the Kings eventually lost 130-125.

Bagley was later seen being gingerly escorted to the locker room, putting no weight on his injured knee.

The good news for Bagley and the Kings is that an MRI reportedly did not reveal any structural damage for the 19-year-old. However, bone bruises, especially for big men, can have a habit of lingering and you’d figure the Kings won’t want to take any chances with a player they valued over fellow rookies like Luka Doncic and Jaren Jackson Jr.

This injury also unfortunately means there won’t be any Bagley-Doncic matchup, as the Kings are scheduled to take on Doncic’s Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Under Bagley’s timetable, the earliest game he could return is Dec. 26 against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Bagley is in the middle of a solid rookie season for the upstart Kings, averaging 13 points on .532 shooting, 6.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

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