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Kings star center Domantas Sabonis out another 4 to 5 weeks with knee injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings will be without their star center for even longer.

Domantas Sabonis, who has been out since Nov. 19 with a partial meniscus tear in his left knee, will be sidelined for another 4 to 5 weeks, the team announced Friday.

In the 13 games Sabonis already has missed with the injury, Sacramento has a 3-10 record.

The Kings are 6-21 on the season.

Sabonis, in limited action this season, is averaging 17.2 points on 51-percent shooting, with 12.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists through 11 games.

Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud has seen increased minutes on the floor with Sabonis sidelined, averaging 12 points on 54.8 percent shooting, with 5.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists in 22.8 minutes over the past 13 games.

Raynaud, the Kings’ 2025 second-round draft pick, has started the past five games, averaging 15.4 points on 53.4 percent shooting, with 8.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists in 29.6 minutes in that span.

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While Knicks head coach Mike Brown acknowledged that his team didn't play their crispest in Friday night's 116-107 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, in which they turned the ball over 18 times, he wasn't exactly pleased with the officiating either. 

Raising some questions regarding non-calls involving OG Anunoby when he drives to the rim, Brown made it clear that he thinks the 6-foot-7, 240-pounder gets officiated differently than other, smaller players around the league.

"It’s one of those, it’s a weird game and the officials they got a tough job, but I don’t know if I’ll ever understand what’s a foul and what’s not a foul because guys, especially quick guys they’ll put their head down and they'll drive the ball from point A to point B," Brown said. "And if you lead with your chest and they're able to flop or fall off you good enough it's a foul. 

"OG's a big, strong guy. When he drives, he doesn't do that. He's trying to attack the rim and he’s getting rerouted on his drive, but he can’t seem to get a call."

Anunoby had just two points in 32 minutes on a rough 1-for-9 shooting night -- way below his season average of 15.4 points per game while shooting 46.5 percent. He finished with a plus/minus of -11.

But after Anunoby's off-game, his head coach had his back and felt he should've benefitted from a lot more foul calls.

"I thought his aggression was there, he just couldn’t get to the free-throw line," Brown said. "I thought he had a couple of good looks from the three-point line and it just kinda got away from him, but I’m not sure what he can do right now to get a call on his drives.

"Not necessarily always at the rim, but I’m talking on the drive because he’s getting hit just like everybody else is, but he’s a little bit bigger than some of those other guards that are getting the calls."

Of course, the lack of calls wasn't the only reason Anunoby struggled as the normally 40 percent three-point shooter this season went 0-for-4 from three-point range. The Knicks as a team shot just 25 percent from downtown with Mikal Bridges (3-for-7) the only player to make more than one from deep.

When shots aren't falling, it makes sense to try and score in other ways, which is what Anunoby did by driving to the basket and looking for contact to go to the line where he's a career 76.1 percent shooter. But if the officials aren't calling fouls on those drives, there's not much that can be done.

"I thought OG had a couple of great looks from the three-point line and I thought he was aggressive on his drives and he didn’t get any calls," Brown said.

For what it's worth, the Sixers were called for 24 personal fouls compared to the Knicks' 21. However, the only players to shoot free throws for New York were Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.

Despite the Knicks' loss to the 76ers on Friday, there was one bright spot for New York.

Mitchell Robinson had his best offensive performance of the season in the team's 116-107 loss at MSG, and the big man has the free-throw line to thank for his offensive explosion.

Entering Friday's game, Robinson was 6-for-27 in the regular season from the charity stripe. He eclipsed that mark in one night, going 7-for-8 in his 21-point performance against Philadelphia.

"He’s been working hard at it. It’s a process," head coach Mike Brown said of Robinson's free throws after the game. "[Shooting coach] Peter Patton, Mark Bryant has done a great job with him, but more importantly, Mitch has bought into what they are trying to work with him on when it comes to free-throw shooting. 

"It’s good to see, anytime you can see positive results, it breeds confidence not just in the individual but also in the rest of the group. It’s good for him tonight to do that."

Robinson's teammates also acknowledged the work he's been putting in.

"He’s been working, going early, getting his shots up," Josh Hart said of his teammate. "His hard work is paying off."

"It was due, we seen him working hard with our shooting coach Peter Patton. He's in the gym everyday, shooting free throws, trying to get better," Tyler Kolek said. "He’s got all the touch on the offensive rebounds and stuff, so just a mindset to get his touch at the free-throw line." 

"He’s working, he’s concentrating, and he’s seeing the progress on his work," Jalen Brunson added. "Very happy for him, very proud of him. Just gotta have to continue it."

Robinson said the coaches have had him change his shot, specifically putting more arc on the ball instead of the line drives that fans are used to seeing. He got up at 10 a.m. Friday to get in some practice before the game, and, despite Robinson admitting it's too early for him, it paid off. Robinson says his early-morning shooting will be part of his gameday routine.  

"Feel way more comfortable, getting my elbow in the air a little more," Robinson explained. "It’s been great."

Robinson had never hit seven free throws in a game before. He even made 76ers head coach Nick Nurse pay for utilizing the hack-a-Mitch strategy in the third quarter. Robinson knocked down both free throws and even motioned toward the Sixers bench.

"I’m trying to stop everybody from hacking and s***. That's the main goal," Robinson said. "I want to play the fourth quarter. The longer I'm out there, the longer I can help my teammates." 

Robinson gave the Knicks all he had and they needed it. The grueling schedule this week took its toll on the Knicks. OG Anunoby and Hart scored a combined seven points and Brunson was off. Despite scoring 22 points, the Knicks guard was just 7-for-22 from the field and 1-for-7 from three. 

With the usual offensive pieces unable to score, Robinson's contributions were massive.

"Mitch is going to be impactful whether the ball’s going in for him or not. That’s who he is as a player and a teammate," Brunson said. "He’s going to find ways to impact the game. When that’s happening to us as well, we have to try and capitalize and try to win games." 

Not only did Robinson find paydirt at the line, but he also scored a season-high 21 points and had his first double-double of the year, after coming down with 16 rebounds. He also had two blocks, one steal, and an assist. 

"Just the energy, my teammates. They were penetrating and stuff like that and I was just trying to help there," Robinson said of his performance. "For me, it’s just help my team, help us have a better chance at winning."

And although Robinson feels good after his best game of the season, the win would have made it mean more. He'll have his chance to help the Knicks get back in the win column when they welcome the Heat to the Garden on Sunday.