The Kings’ bid to end a 10-game losing streak against the Clippers took a backseat when De’Andre Hunter was forced out with an injury that stunned both benches. In a rivalry game loaded with tension, one graphic moment brought everything to a halt. Here’s what happened.

Why Did De’Andre Hunter Leave the Game? What Injury Did He Suffer?

With about 2:06 left in the third quarter, Hunter took a shot to his left eye from a Clippers defender, causing him to hit the floor, clearly distressed. A closer angle of the fall showed Hunter bleeding from his eye, causing the team to take a quick timeout, before escorting the forward, who had a towel pressed over his eye, to the locker room.

He was replaced in the game by Daeqwon Plowden, and after some time, was ruled out of the rest of the matchup. He was a major acquisition this deadline for the Kings, and his status will likely be monitored closely as the team hopes to be competitive. This is also especially unfortunate for Hunter, for whom this was his second game with the Kings.

This latest facial injury adds to De’Andre Hunter’s extensive injury ledger, which has been dominated by recurring right knee issues dating back to a torn meniscus in 2021. Though primarily lower-body focused, recent facial blows, including a bloody nose in December 2025 and now this eye injury, highlight the relentless physical demands he faces.

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Furthermore, Hunter’s injury echoes a wave of recent facial traumas across the league, including Karl-Anthony Towns’ eye laceration and Onyeka Okongwu’s dental fracture earlier this season.

How Did De’Andre Hunter Perform Before Leaving?

Unfortunately, Hunter struggled on the floor today. In about 24 minutes, the forward made just one of his eight shots, turned the ball over three times, and finished with six points and a rebound, focusing his energy on the defensive end, where he seemed to be doing well.

This season has been a down year for the forward, who has experienced a steep drop-off in his efficiency, going from 47/40.5/84.6 splits in 2024-25 to 42/31.1/ 86.3 this season. The three-point numbers in particular are the worst of his career, and caused him to become expendable to the Cavaliers.

How Did the Sacramento Kings Adjust Without Hunter?

After Hunter’s injury, he was replaced in the lineup by reserve forward Plowden, who made the most of his 14 minutes on the floor, logging eight quick points. However, most of the scoring burden off the bench was taken by wings Malik Monk and Nique Clifford, as well as some rebounding support from Dylan Cardwell.

Monk and Clifford combined for 30 points, and Cardwell chipped in 14 points and rebounds, eight of which were offensive.

Unfortunately, their efforts weren’t enough. The Clippers came out with blistering force, knocking down shot after shot. Their entire starting lineup finished with double-digit points, with Kawhi Leonard continuing his best scoring season to date with a 31-point outing.

The Kings missed Domantas Sabonis dearly, especially given the lack of size in their frontcourt and the complete lack of interior scorers. Tonight also marked a forgettable night from the starters, with rookie Maxime Raynaud being the only one to score above six points.

For now, the hope is that Hunter’s injury is not anything serious and that he can return soon. However, given their already poor record, the best-case scenario might just be to wait until he’s back to 100%, especially as they remain the worst team in the league.