The little and ring fingers of his left hand – his strong hand – have been strapped for quite a while now. De’Aaron Fox is also hampered in the other hand, with a sprained thumb. The Kings point guard also missed three games at the start of the month due to a buttock contusion after a brutal fall during a dunk attempt.
In summary, the left-hander is not at 100% of his capabilities. Could this be the explanation for his current big slump? “ Well I put 60 points with the bandaged hand », would like to remind the leader of his franchise record established in a defeat against the Wolves earlier in the season.
He adds: “ People can make up whatever excuse they want. Sometimes we just don’t play well. I miss shots, that’s all. That’s how the game goes sometimes. » He’s missing a lot of shots at the moment. Against the Knicks last night, he settled for 14 points and 4 assists with a poor 6/20 shooting.
A poor performance which confirms its current negative dynamic. For six games, he has only averaged 16 points with 32% shooting, including 25% from distance. Would a few rest matches be necessary to improve the condition of his fingers?
Push him to rest?
« I’m pretty sure we suffer from all the wounds invisible to outsiders. It’s easy to say, ‘Sit down.’ But I respect (Fox), I congratulate him for being on the ground, regardless of what happens. He will know better than all of us what he can and cannot do with his two hands. », note DeMar DeRozan.
-The veteran is aware of the risk of having to do without the leader (even if the Kings won their three games without him), while the Californian team is in the middle of a fight, with the Warriors and the Spurs in particular, for ensure at least one place in the play-in.
« We are fighting for something. He knows we’re fighting to turn things around and get a place in the playoffs, and he’s on the field. We know that the simple fact that he is on the pitch helps us enormously », note Domantas Sabonis.
« What we learn from Fox is the leadership aspect of the responsibility that comes with being one of the faces of the franchise. And when we see that he is touched here and there and that he hangs on, we say to ourselves that this is leadership. It can impact the game in many ways », Adds Doug Christie, whose player perhaps also has in mind the bar of 65 games to play, likely to offer him an All-NBA nomination, and therefore a maximum contract extension.
| De’Aaron Fox | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | To | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | SAC | 73 | 28 | 41.2 | 30.7 | 72.3 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 2.8 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 11.6 |
| 2018-19 | SAC | 81 | 31 | 45.8 | 37.1 | 72.7 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 7.3 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 17.3 |
| 2019-20 | SAC | 51 | 32 | 48.0 | 29.2 | 70.5 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 6.8 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 21.1 |
| 2020-21 | SAC | 58 | 35 | 47.7 | 32.2 | 71.9 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 7.2 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 25.2 |
| 2021-22 | SAC | 59 | 35 | 47.3 | 29.7 | 75.0 | 0.4 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 5.6 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 23.2 |
| 2022-23 | SAC | 73 | 33 | 51.2 | 32.4 | 78.0 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 6.1 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 25.0 |
| 2023-24 | SAC | 74 | 36 | 46.5 | 36.9 | 73.8 | 0.9 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 26.6 |
| 2024-25 | SAC | 42 | 37 | 46.6 | 31.7 | 82.3 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.2 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 25.1 |
| Total | 511 | 33 | 47.0 | 33.2 | 74.4 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 21.5 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
