The Clippers, finally with a couple days rest, take on the surging Sacramento Kings at home – and might have some reinforcements coming.
Game Information
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Projected Starting Lineups
Kings: De’Aaron Fox – Kevin Huerter – Keegan Murray – Harrison Barnes – Domantas Sabonis
Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Marcus Morris – Ivica Zubac
Injuries
Kings: Trey Lyles Questionable (Illness)
Clippers: Luke Kennard Out (Calf), Norm Powell Out (Groin), Paul George Questionable (Hamstring), Kawhi Leonard Questionable (Ankle)
The Big Picture
The Clippers continue to float above .500 despite a litany of injuries – though good news is finally here, as PG and Kawhi are questionable to play against the Kings. Not only are those the Clippers’ two best players, the guys they have that can take over on any night against any team, but they’re the ones who everyone else on the roster needs to fit around. When they’re injured, it not only saps the Clippers’ chances of winning by a significant amount on any given night, but takes away one more game of reps and chemistry. There’s a long way to go to the end of the season and playoffs, but winning habits and rotations are built in the regular season, and the Clippers need to get healthy at some point to get there.
The Antagonist
The Kings are off to a rollicking 11-9 start, and if that number doesn’t sound amazing, just remember that the Kings haven’t made the playoffs since 2006 – when a young Robert Flom was still in middle school. Their defense remains a work in progress, to put it lightly, but they have a top-5 offense that is every bit as fun to watch as it is effective. Tyrese Haliburton may be a young star (superstar?), but trading him and bringing in Domantas Sabonis has unlocked De’Aaron Fox, who is playing by far the best basketball of his career. Add in the scorching Kevin Huerter, the intriguing rookie Keegan Murray, and some competent veteran role players, and you have a dynamic offense. A big part of their resurgence has been Mike Brown, one of the few steady professionals (Mike Malone being a big exception) the Kings have had running the helm in the past decade and who has obtained buy-in across the roster. The Kings’ talent level still isn’t where the top West teams are, but this is probably the most talented team they’ve had in a very long time, and they must be taken seriously.
Notes
Guarding Fox: The Clippers have long struggled with defending quick point guards, and Fox is one of the speediest guys in the NBA. If one of George or Kawhi is out, I’d expect Terance Mann to get first crack at Fox, and if not, PG will probably get a lot of those duties. Expecting Reggie Jackson to stay with Fox is asking for trouble, so the Clippers will probably have to stick him on Huerter, though they could maybe get away with him covering Murray sometimes. Regardless, the Kings play with a lot of movement on and off the ball, and the Clippers will have to be ready to switch, communicate, and help the helper. If they can limit the Kings to a non-ridiculous point total, they should be able to make some hay on the other end.
Moussa Time, Moussa Time: Ty Lue said today that Moussa Diabate will continue to get chances at the NBA level, which is against the intel that was broadcast early in the year, which was that the Clippers were going to bring him slow and keep him primarily in the G-League. However, things have clearly changed. Most importantly, the Clippers have been ravaged by injuries. Second, their small-ball lineups have not been effective (though have been more so of late). Third, their “backup center” Moses Brown has been thoroughly unimpressive outside of one glorious showing. Fourth, Moussa himself has played great in the G-League and made a real impact in his two true NBA appearances. While I don’t think Moussa is a part of the Clippers’ healthy rotation, he seems to have already edged ahead of Brown, which is for the best. Hopefully he can continue to impress the coaching staff and earn minutes throughout the rest of the season.
