Kings Guard Malik Monk Out at Least Two Weeks with Ankle Sprain; Butler Held Out vs Timberwolves

Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk will be sidelined for at least two weeks with a right ankle sprain, while Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler was held out of the team's 95-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a sprained ankle, marking another game missed for Butler.

Malik Monk Injured in Kings' Loss to Suns, Sidelined for At Least Two Weeks with Ankle Sprain

Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk will be sidelined for at least two weeks, the organization announced on November 11. The team has described Monk's injury as a moderate right ankle sprain, per ESPN.

Monk, a key contributor for the Kings, was injured early in the second quarter during a November 10 game against the Phoenix Suns. While attempting to close out on a corner shot by Grayson Allen, Monk stepped on Mason Plumlee's foot, causing the injury. After sitting on the floor briefly, Monk limped off the court and did not return to the game.

X-ray imaging confirmed that there was no structural damage to Monk's ankle.

"Malik is obviously big for us," said De'Aaron Fox, acknowledging the impact of Monk's absence. "He's a sixth starter. He can start for a lot of teams ... if he is out for some time, obviously like last year, it hurt us big time."

Through the season's first ten games, Monk has averaged 13.6 points, three rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 25 minutes per game. Kings head coach Mike Brown praised Monk's performance this season, highlighting his contributions as a ball handler, playmaker, and strong defender. "He's had a great season for us so far," Brown said. "To lose somebody as dynamic as him, it's tough, but we have to have a next-man-up mentality."

The Kings will play seven games over the next two weeks before Monk is reevaluated.

Jimmy Butler Misses Heat's 95-94 Win Over Timberwolves Due to Ankle Sprain, Marking Sixth Absence Against Former Team

Meanwhile, Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler was absent from Sunday night's 95-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a sprained right ankle, marking another game he has missed against one of his former teams.

Butler suffered the injury while driving to the basket early in the second quarter of November 8 night's game against the Denver Nuggets. He did not return to the game following the injury.

With Butler unavailable, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra made his first starting lineup change of the season, inserting Kevin Love and Haywood Highsmith in place of Butler and a healthy Nikola Jovic. Last season, the Heat set a franchise record with 35 different starting lineups.

This marks Butler's sixth absence in 11 games against the Timberwolves since joining Miami. He had previously forced a trade from Minnesota to Philadelphia six years ago, and since moving to Miami, he has struggled to stay healthy for matchups against his former team. Over the past five seasons, the Heat have gone 2-8 against the Timberwolves, with Butler appearing in only two of those six games.