~ Photo credit: AP

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ LOS ANGELES– Sacramento lost for the fourth time in a row, as the Clippers (2-2) won by 17 Thursday, 104-87.

In their past three games, the Kings’ scoring has increased but so has the amount of points given up to their opponents.

Meanwhile Los Angeles continued their loss-win trend, scoring 100 points for the third time this preseason.

For the Clippers, Blake Griffin led all with 18 points. Wesley Johnson had 16 points with four three’s. DeAndre Jordan had a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Milos Teodosic had a game-high six assists. Tyrone Wallace scored six points off the bench.

Zach Randolph led Sacramento with 14 points.  Off the bench, Frank Mason, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Garrett Temple each scored 13 points. Kosta Koufos scored 10 rebounds.

In the first half, neither team leading for the majority of the quarter mattered.

Los Angeles had the lead for most of the first quarter, with their biggest lead five points, but the Kings ended up top at the end. Jordan missed two free throws and Sacramento started out with the 2-0 lead. All of the Kings’ leads only lasted one possession. Sacramento got the lead again with 7:12 left. Randolph tied the game at 15.  The Kings led again with 2:19 left, before several lead changes. The first then ended with Mason’s 24-22 jumper with 21 seconds left. There were four ties with Griffin and Randolph leading the way.

Johnson started off the second with a game-tying shot. A strong dunk by Wallace then gave the Clippers the lead. Mason responded with two straight shots as the Kings retook the lead at 8:50, which they held until the end of the quarter. Sacramento’s biggest lead was eight points with the help of two three’s from Bogdanovic. Los Angeles came to within one with 2:59 left. Griffin made a free throw after scoring against Vince Carter. Jordan then tied the game at 44 apiece with 1.9 seconds left, making both of his free throws.

The tie was broken by Randolph in the third with 9:49 left and then the lead switched until 8:34 left. The Kings took control of the score with 6:36 left. The game difference reached a high of nine points as the Clippers shot 47.5% at the end of quarter. Sacramento got as close as three.  

Los Angeles kept on scoring in the fourth while the Kings’ shooting stayed as it had been. C.J. Williams extended the Clippers’ lead to 18 points with 3:33 left.

Game notes: Sacramento’s George Hill and Bogdanovic exited the game with a hurt right groin and a right ankle sprain respectively, but both do not seem serious. The Kings end the preseason on Friday the 13th versus the Golden State Warriors at 7:30pm.