Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By: London Marq

On Wednesday the Kings were facing the other team in L.A. It was battle of California teams at the Staples Center as the Clippers hosted the up and coming Sacramento team.

The Clippers opened the game on a mission with a 12-3 run, carving through the young Sacramento team like swiss cheese. Tobias Harris had it going early, from deep. He would end the game with 17 points and 6 rebounds. Sacramento played with good energy staying true to their run-and-gun mentality, but a lack of effort defensively kept them behind the gun.

Montrezl Harrell had a dominant game playing a feisty brand of basketball along the baseline. His effort led to second chance points and smoothing defense around the rim on both sides of the floor. Harrell completed the game one rebound short of a double-double, 27 points and 9 boards. The Clippers controlled the game in the first half and would go into the locker rooms with a big lead, 71-48.

The Kings would have their day in the second half, however. De’Aaron Fox, the Kings young stud point guard would start to find his rhythm find his shot from beyond the arch and slashing through the lane. Fox finished with 19 points leading all Kings for the night. The Kings would surge in the third quarter and get the lead back to 10 with three and half minutes left in the period. Lou Williams would punch the Kings right back as he started dropping threes all over the Kings’ defense. He finished 4-of-5 from deep, with 24 points.

The Kings, as they often have this season tried to get the last quarter run in effect and just as they have so far, they were successful. Late in the fourth, the Kings would rattle off a 24-1 run against the Clippers starting when the game score was 118-91. They would battle to get the game to within 3, but a clutch play by Harrell, kept the Kings at bay and the Clippers walk away with the home win.

Final: Clippers defeated the Kings 127-118.

Up Next: The Kings return home to host the Lakers on Thursday at 7:00 pm.