Here is the latest news live from Sleep Train Arena:
- The return of the king. DeMarcus Cousins is back tonight after a 10-game absence. His team is no longer over .500 and coach Michael Malone is home for the holidays after getting fired on Sunday night from Kings management. According to head coach Tyrone Corbin, Cousins will start, but his minutes will be limited. “We’ll see how the game develops,” Corbin said during pregame. “Probably see how he responds to the minutes at the beginning of the game, probably six minutes or so, and evaluate him from there.”
- There is still a fear that Cousins’ illness may reemerge, so the Kings will take it slow with their franchise cornerstone. “There always is, I think that’s why everyone is so slow (to clear Cousins to play),” Corbin said. “With an illness like that, you never know how the body responds to it, so we want to make sure we’re doing the right. And all of his signs are up that he’s back, that’s why he’s able to come back on the floor tonight.”
- Bucks big man Larry Sanders is out of action tonight. The 6-foot-11 Sanders was suspended for one game by the NBA earlier in the day for an altercation with Portland Trail Blazer Nic Batum. Rookie second-round pick Johnny O’Bryant who has played just five minutes of NBA action during his career, is starting at the center position.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo was questionable for tonight’s game with a left ankle sprain, but it sounds like he will not only play tonight, but start.
- Cousins is back, but both Reggie Evans (left knee and hip contusion) and Omri Casspi (left knee bone contusion) are out. Milwaukee will be without rookie standout Jabari Parker (left ACL injury), Ersan Ilyasova (nasal fracture) and John Henson (left foot sprain).
- The Kings officially retired Peja Stojakovic’s jersey on Tuesday night, but due to the time constraints of national TV, they were not able to raise his jersey to the rafters. No. 16 is hiding next to Vlade Divac’s No. 21, ready to be unrolled tonight during the game.
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