The Sacramento Kings are going to start their postseason run without one of their best players. Sixth Man of the Year contender Malik Monk will miss four-to-six weeks due to a sprained right MCL.

Monk was injured early in the Kings loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. The veteran guard left in the first quarter and didn't return. The Kings also lost guard Kevin Huerter to season-ending shoulder surgery earlier this week.

This season, Monk has averaged 15.4 points and 5.1 assists in 72 games off the Sacramento bench. That production has Monk as one of the leaders to win Sixth Man of the Year.

The Kings have nine games remaining in the season. The Play-In Tournament starts in just over two weeks. As of Saturday, Sacramento is the 8th seed in the Western Conference. The NBA Playoffs start in three weeks. That means Monk likely needs the Kings to advance past the first round before he'd be able to return.

Malik Monk is feared to have suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Monk is set to undergo further testing.

Monk suffered the injury in the first quarter of Friday night's game against the Mavs.

It was reported earlier on Friday that Kevin Huerter is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.

Kevin Huerter is set to undergo surgery to repair a torn left labrum and will miss the rest of this season, according to Mike Brown.

Huerter is expected to make a full recovery in time for the 2024-25 season.

There is a possibility that Huerter could return this year should the Kings make a deep run in the playoffs.

Keon Ellis will take Huerter's spot in the starting lineup.

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis set a post-merger NBA record with his 54th consecutive double-double. Sabonis had 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the Kings victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

Sabonis began the streak on December 2, when he recorded a double-double of 17 points and 15 rebounds. During the streak, Sabonis has had 53 points-rebounds double-doubles and one points-assists double-double. He's also recorded 24 triple-doubles during the 54-game run.

The Kings center broke a tie with Kevin Love, who had a 53-game double-double streak when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Wilt Chamberlain holds the overall record with 227 consecutive double-doubles.

In a simple message posted on Instagram, Nemanja Bjelica announced his retirement from playing basketball.

"20 years...Thank you basketball" was Bjelica's message on Saturday afternoon.

The 6-foot-10 forward played for seven seasons in the NBA. Bjelica started his NBA career with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2015, before moving to the Sacramento Kings in 2018. At the 2021 trade deadline, Bjelica was dealt to the Miami Heat. He then signed with the Golden State Warriors, and helped the team win the 2022 NBA Finals.

Following that NBA title, Bjelica returned to Fenerbahce in Turkey. He had previously played for the Turkish club before coming to the NBA.

Bjelica also played professionally for clubs in his native Serbia and in Spain during his 20-year professional career. The 35-year-old had also suited up for the Serbian national team for several EuroBasket and World Cup competitions, as well as Olympic qualifiers.

Kevin Huerter has suffered a dislocated left shoulder and a labral tear.

Huerter and the Sacramento Kings are still evaluating treatment options.

In 64 games this season, Huerter is averaging 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 24.4 minutes.

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis has been on a roll since late-November. On November 29, in a loss to the LA Clippers, Sabonis put up 11 points, five rebounds and three assists. That was the last time this season that Sabonis hasn't had double figures in points and double figures in either rebounds or assists.

In the Kings win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Sabonis recorded his 50th consecutive double-double. In that stretch, he's had 49 points-rebounds double-doubles and one points-assists double-double. For the run, Sabonis has averaged 20.6 points, 14.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists.

Only eight other players have hit the 50-game mark for consecutive double-doubles: Elgin Baylor, Walt Bellamy, Wilt Chamberlain, Elvin Hayes, Kevin Love, Jerry Lucas, Moses Malone and Bill Russell. Chamberlain holds the record with 227 consecutive double-doubles. Chamberlain also had runs of 220 and 133 consecutive games with a double-double.

Kevin Huerter left the Sacramento Kings' 121-111 overtime win over the Memphis Grizzlies with a shoulder injury and did not return.

Huerter suffered the injury while attempting a layup in the first quarter.

Huerter missed a game last Wednesday due to a right leg contusion.

Wednesday night's game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings averaged 1.4 million viewers.

The number is down 19% from last year's Warriors-Clippers game, but was still the most-watched sporting event of the day.

The Nuggets-Heat game earlier in the day averaged 1.09 million viewers, down 11% from last year's Sixers-Cavs game.