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Kings gameday live: New lineup already? Harkless questionable for home opener vs. Jazz

Utah Jazz at Sacramento Kings

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Golden 1 Center

TV: NBC Sports California

Radio: Sports 1140 KHTK

Odds: Jazz -5.5

Over/under: 225.5

Morning injury report

Jazz: OUT — Rudy Gay (foot).

Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Maurice Harkless (hip).

What if Harkless is out?

Kings coach Luke Walton will have to come up with a new starting lineup if Maurice Harkless is unable to play in Friday’s home opener against the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center.

Harkless was listed as questionable on the team’s injury report due to left hip soreness. Walton said the 28-year-old forward missed practice Thursday after taking a hard fall in Wednesday’s season-opening 124-121 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

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Walton chose to start Harkless with De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes in the season opener. Walton has described Harkless and Barnes as completely interchangeable, saying he likes the positional versatility they give him at the forward spots.

Walton will have to fill one of those forward spots if Harkless is unavailable against Utah. Walton could go to a three-guard lineup with Barnes at power forward and Holmes at center. Walton could also start Tristan Thompson next to Holmes. Or he could consider starting Marvin Bagley III.

That seems unlikely after Bagley’s agent revealed he would not even be part of Walton’s rotation to start the season, although Walton himself said “we’re going to need everyone this season.”

Broken record?

Kings guard Buddy Hield made four 3-pointers against the Blazers to tie Peja Stojakovic’s franchise record for 3-point goals. Hield, who was nearly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in July, will break that record with his first 3-pointer against the Jazz.

Stojakovic made 1,070 3-pointers in 518 games for the Kings from 1998-2006. Hield now has 1,070 in 331 games since the Kings acquired him in the trade that sent DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2017.

“It’s a blessing,” Hield said. “Like I always say, coming from where I came from, being a guy from the Bahamas, coming to Sacramento and beating Peja Stojakovic’s record, it’s a blessing and I’m humbled. Peja taught me a lot during the time he was in Sacramento and I’m blessed. I want to just keep writing my name in the history books, in the Sacramento history books. I can’t wait to see what I got in store for the year and many more years to come.”

Polling place

We asked fans who should start if Harkless is out against the Jazz. Bagley, somewhat surprisingly, held a slight lead over Hield less than six hours before tipoff.

Bagley had received 34.2% of the vote as of 1:30 p.m. Hield was second with 33. Terence Davis was third with 20.8% followed Tristan Thompson with 12%.

Gametime decision

During his pregame news conference, Walton said he still doesn’t know if Harkless will play.

“He’s still questionable,” Walton said. “He’s been getting treatment all day, and if he goes, we’ll stick with the same starting lineup. If he cannot play, then we’ll make an adjustment, but we’ll get to that once I know more about how Moe is feeling.”

Ruled out

We’re about 30 minutes away from tipoff and the Kings have just announced Harkless has been ruled out for tonight’s game. With Harkless out, Walton has elected to start Davis with Fox, Haliburton, Barnes and Holmes.

Kings lose

Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Rudy Gobert recorded a monster double-double, leading the Jazz to a 110-101 victory over the Kings. Gobert finished with 17 points and 20 rebounds for Utah (2-0).

Barnes had 25 points and 14 rebounds for the Kings (1-1). Hield finished with 24 points and seven rebounds on the night he broke Stojakovic’s franchise record for 3-point goals.

Mitchell struggled all night against Kings rookie Davion Mitchell, making just 9 of 25 from the field and 6 of 14 from 3-point range.

The Kings led by eight at the break after holding the Jazz to 46 points in the first half, but they gave up 35 points in the third quarter and 29 in the fourth. They finished the game with a four-guard lineup — with Barnes at center — after Holmes fouled out with 3:12 remaining.

Note: Check back for updates with the latest news, notes, quotes and injury updates before, during and after tonight’s game between the Kings and Trail Blazers.