The L.A. Clippers (11-10) look to snap their two-game skid tonight at home against the feisty Sacramento Kings (8-14). Read on for our full Clippers vs. Kings game preview.
Clippers vs. Kings Game Information
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
When: 7:30 p.m. PT
How to Tune in: NBA TV, Bally Sports SoCal, AM 570 KLAC, KTMZ
Projected Starting Lineups:
L.A. Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Eric Bledsoe – Marcus Morris Sr. – Serge Ibaka – Ivica Zubac
Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox – Tyrese Haliburton – Terence Davis – Chimezie Metu – Richaun Holmes
Injury Report:
L.A. Clippers: Nicolas Batum – OUT (Health and Safety Protocols), Amir Coffey – OUT (G League – Two-Way), Paul George – OUT (Rest), Kawhi Leonard – OUT (Right Knee; ACL – Injury Recovery), Jason Preston – OUT (Right Foot – Injury Recovery)
Sacramento Kings: Marvin Bagley III – OUT (Non-Covid Illness), Harrison Barnes – OUT (Right Foot Sprain), Maurice Harkless – OUT (Left Knee Soreness), Robert Woodard II – OUT (Left Ankle Soreness)
The Big Picture
The mediocre bloodbath in the 4-10 seeds out west carries on with seemingly no fanbases feeling hot about their team’s performance so far outside of the squads repping Phoenix and Golden State. The Clippers sans Nicolas Batum have been one of the worst culprits of that, whose turnover-heavy offense and poor transition defense have made games difficult to watch as of late. In a similar inexplicable fashion to that of near the beginning of the year when the team was comically cold collectively, the Clippers have now been plagued by a ridiculous amount of out-of-sync lapses (mostly on offense except for the all-around collapse last game). I would say that it can’t possibly get worse than the way the available Clippers are playing, but they actually shot the ball pretty well despite getting torched once again by New Orleans. As to be expected of a Tyronn Lue-led group, and one as naturally quiet as this year’s squad, there hasn’t been much talk about how frustrated the group is at the moment — no “we’re not a great team” quotes or “we gotta do something different” starting-lineup change promises. As for those primarily following along for the ride, however, it’s tough to be loudly optimistic, at least in the short term.
The Antagonist
Speaking of NBA fanbases that have had little to be excited about, the Clippers will be suiting up against their fellow divisional foes in the Sacramento Kings tonight. While the league’s two best teams at the moment are both from the Pacific Division, it’s been far and beyond a different case for the Clippers, Lakers and Kings, who have all been stuck in the mud for the most part thus far. Sacramento comes into Staples tonight less than 24 hours after getting embarrassed at the Golden 1 Center by the LeBron-less Lakers. The Clippers enter tonight 0-2 smack dab in the middle of their second 5-in-7 stretch of the season. As such, it’s safe to say that both teams will have plenty of lost time to make up for in this one.
Clippers vs. Kings Game Notes
- Starting Lineup: The last time Clippers faced the Kings was in the preseason, and the focus was on seeing how the starters would fare with each other for the first time with the Reggie Jackson-Eric Bledsoe backcourt. Unfortunately, 22 games into the season, however, it still seems like LAC has yet to find their best opening lineup (without Leonard, of course). This year’s Clippers certainly weren’t expected to have a Top-5 starting lineup out of the gates, as they have routinely in recent years, but this group just doesn’t seem to be making much progress. Maybe things will get better when the Clippers get Nicolas Batum and Marcus Morris Sr. back and up to speed, but it definitely seems like some change is needed at this point.
- Valuing the Ball: Without Kawhi Leonard, Batum and Morris Sr., LAC just hasn’t found an identity that is conducive to winning more often than not. Again, getting guys back will certainly help, but Jackson, Bledsoe and Paul George in particular need to do a better job at finding efficient looks. No matter how much the Clippers manage to hold it down defensively in the half-court, consistently losing in the turnover and/or transition scoring departments makes it nearly impossible to win ball games. An extra note here would be to stop going small down the stretch without Batum and Morris Sr. available. Maybe it’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t, but going small to close games just has not worked out at all so far.
- Conquering the Kings: Focusing specifically on tonight’s matchup, especially if Harrison Barnes sits and Morris Sr. returns, the Clippers have a solid shot of winning this one. Five games into the post-Luke Walton era, Sacramento has trotted out five different starting lineups both with Barnes and Richaun Holmes in and out of uniform, and interim head coach Alvin Gentry looking to figure out his rotation on the fly. Gentry’s Kings have tallied a 2-3 mark thus far, with four-point wins over the Lakers and Trail Blazers in high-scoring thrillers. Both times, Sacramento tallied 60 points in the paint and forced 15+ turnovers. In each of their losses, however, as is the case with their 3-13 mark when shooting under 50% from the field this season, the Kings were held to less than nine made threes. Much like the Clippers, if Sacramento isn’t hitting their threes, they’ll likely lose. Meanwhile, LAC enters tonight with the NBA’s third-best defense (103.6 DEFRTG).
Update No. 1: Paul George will rest tonight, per the Clippers.
Update No. 2: Marvin Bagley III and Harrison Barnes have been ruled out by the Kings.
Update No. 3: Moe Harkless has been ruled out by Alvin Gentry. Amir Coffey is inactive tonight (two-way), per Law Murray.
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