Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By Pearl Allison Lo

LOS ANGELES — Despite their injuries, the Clippers worked back to an even-steven record in a towering 126-105 win over the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center Saturday.

The last time Los Angeles was at .500 was on November 7. Along with a four-game win streak, the Clippers completed a four-game sweep over Sacramento, sweeping the team for the first time since the 2013-14 regular season. This blowout continued a trend of close then blowout games between the teams.  

Los Angeles was facing the Kings for the second game in a row. Thursday was when the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan got injured, and to be safe, Jordan (ankle) missed his first career game due to injury in 10 years.

Willie Reed, who started instead of Jordan, got his first double-double of the season with 14 points and a game-tying 13 rebounds.

Los Angeles’ Lou Williams led all scorers with 26 points. Sacramento’s Willie Cauley-Stein had a double-double of 23 points and a game-tying 13 rebounds. Teammate De’Aaron Fox also had a double-double of 17 points and a game-high 10 assists.

Clippers’ forward Blake Griffin’s thoughts on them being a fun team to coach were, “…even with all the injuries and having to be on the sideline. This team really bonds with each other, really vibes well with each other. I think we just play hard…I agree with [Doc Rivers] that this is a really fun team and we have kind of a special bond.”

Los Angeles led ever since 9:39 left in the first when it was 5-4.

The Kings started off with a 4-0 run but then the Clippers surpassed them with a 10-0 run, initiated by Reed’s triple. Sacramento either missed or lost the ball, as they missed three 3-pointers. Griffin accounted for half of the 10 points, as he and Milos Teodosic both hit threes. Garrett Temple was able to score four points, but Williams was able to score three free throws from one of Sacramento’s fouls with 6:08 left.

The Kings could not connect on more than two possessions as Los Angeles went to the line four times. The Clippers shot 58.8% from the field while Sacramento shot 36.4%. Los Angeles’ Tyrone Wallace led all scorers with six points. Reed had five rebounds and two steals.

On the turnover troubles and taking care of the ball, Kings’ head coach Dave Joeger replied, “It’s just bad passes and bad ball-handling. It’s just individual work and guys just got to improve their individual skills.”

Fox mentioned, “…It happens, that’s the cost of playing fast. We’re still getting used to it and trying to cut down…”

In the second, the Kings never got closer than 13, but improved greatly in getting their biggest run so far at seven points, Cauley-Stein with four points and Vince Carter hitting a three with 6:07 left. Sacramento also went to the free throw line and scored from beyond the arc for the first time and shot 45.8% from the field.  The Clippers reached their highest lead of the game at the time, 21 points with 19.3 seconds left, but Buddy Hield pulled up for a first half score of 64-45. Williams led in the second with 10 points and three steals, Fox had seven points and four assists and Cauley-Stein nabbed six rebounds.

Cauley-Stein pointed out, “Our energy didn’t really come until the second-half, so by then they already got us in a hole and you got to try to chip away. You can’t make any mistakes if you want to play like that.”

The Clippers’ dominance continued to hold as the Kings were held at least 14 points away. The Clippers’ lead reached a high of 23 points when Jawun Evans, after heading to the basket, dropped the ball back to Montrezl Harrell, who followed up with a jam into the net.

In the final quarter, Los Angeles’ lead grew to 25 and the closest Sacramento got was 15. This was the only time the Kings were able to outscore the Clippers, 37-35, when Sacramento shot 75% from the field.

Regarding growing pains, Cauley-Stein suggested, “…it’s got to come from us holding each other accountable. Like enough is enough. I think coach is at that point where he’s not going to play you if you’re not doing the right thing and I think that’s how it should be. Kind of like a college team…we’re also young and a lot of us just came out of college too…”

Game notes: Los Angeles’ C.J. Williams continued his absence with a sprained right ankle.

Up next: Sacramento will finish their two-game road trip versus the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday at 5 pm PT.