Warriors-Kings: De’Aaron Fox expects to play Game 5 after injuring finger
SAN FRANCISCO — Sacramento star De’Aaron Fox expects to be available in Game 5 of the Warriors-Kings series despite suffering a broken index finger on his shooting hand.
Video on social media from Kings’ practice in Sacramento on Tuesday showed Fox shooting free throws and knocking down 3-pointers while wearing a splint on his left index finger, which he fractured in Game 4 on Sunday.
Fox is listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game in Sacramento, though he told reporters after practice that he plans to play.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal, but obviously depending on how much it gets hit and things like that, then I feel like the pain will increase,” Fox said. “But if it was to stay the exact same way it is right now, I’ll be fine.”
Fox said he felt a jolt of pain from his finger on a play when Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins both swung at it. He appeared to hurt it again in the fourth quarter when he attempted a post-whistle layup over Kevon Looney, who swiped at the ball. Their hands appeared to collide and Fox was subsequently spotted shaking his left hand before grabbing it.
Though he played the rest of Sunday’s game, pain management will be crucial for Fox going forward.
Tuesday’s practice was a promising sign for the first-time All-Star, who is said to have dribbled and passed the ball without issue. It’s unclear, though, how the injury could impact his ability to be aggressive driving to the hole and on defense at game speed.
“With what I’m wearing, the big thing for me was could I feel the pad of my finger,” Fox said. “If you’re playing basketball, you’re throwing a ball, you want to be able to feel the ball on your finger. That was the big thing for me and it’s protecting what it needs to protect.”
Fox has been one of the Warriors’ greatest challenges of this first-round matchup. He’s averaged 31.5 points, seven assists, six rebounds and 2.5 steals in the first four games of this best-of-seven series.
“He’s a really good player,” Wiggins, one of the main defenders tasked with the Fox assignment, said before the Warriors boarded a bus to Sacramento. “It’s a team effort, not on one guy. Just got to continue doing what we’re doing. He’s a tough player, he’s going to make some tough shots, he’s going to make some tough plays, all you can do is stay at it and stay aggressive on that side on defense.”
The Warriors are maintaining the status quo for Wednesday’s game despite Fox’s injury.
“You just play, the game plan stays the same,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Go out there and do what you have to do.”
The Warriors, whose road struggles have been a glaring issue all season, have to win at least one game in Sacramento to advance to the Western Conference semifinals. After winning back-to-back games at Chase Center to tie the series at two apiece, the Warriors see Game 5 as an opportunity to buck that trend of bad road luck.
Setting the tone early with tenacious defense and smart offense will be key for Golden State to not put itself in a position where it’s playing catch-up on enemy soil. Kerr is confident his crew will be locked in from the jump.
“Sacramento’s crowd will make sure that we don’t let our guard down, they will help us quite a bit in that regard,” Kerr said. “It’s different in April and May and June than it is in January, December. If we let our guard down, there’s something seriously wrong with us so we’ll be ready to go.”