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The Sacramento Kings beat the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, 111-99, but they didn’t have much to celebrate after the game. That’s because their star rookie, Tyrese Haliburton, left in the third quarter with a knee injury which will require an MRI on Monday.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the team is optimistic Haliburton avoided any serious injury, but obviously nothing will be certain until after the imaging is done.
The incident occurred early in the third quarter as Haliburton was bringing the ball up the floor. He went behind his back with the dribble to change direction, and in the process his right foot clipped Josh Richardson’s heel. In the resulting stumble, Haliburton appeared to hyperextend his left leg, and crashed to the floor.
He stayed down for some time under the attention of the Kings’ medical staff, and was then helped to the locker room.
After the game, Kings head coach Luke Walton expressed hope that Haliburton would be OK, but declined to guess on the severity of the injury.
“We’ll hope for the best,” Walton said. “We won’t know anything until tomorrow. We’ll find out after the MRI. I’m not going to guess on it. … We’re very hopeful that it’s not (serious), but there’s no reason for me to guess right now.”
The No. 12 overall pick in this year’s draft, Haliburton has been one of the best rookies in the league this season due to his steady play in the backcourt and ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. Through 57 games he is averaging 13 points, three rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
Though he’s not going to win Rookie of the Year — that honor will likely go to LaMelo Ball or Anthony Edwards — Haliburton is a lock for the All-Rookie First Team. Assuming he makes that team, it will be the fifth time in the last six seasons that the Kings had a player on an All-Rookie team.