Los Angeles Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe, left, and Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell (right) battle for the loose ball at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Wed Dec 1, 2021 (AP News photo)

Kings Beat Clippers Despite Depleted Roster 124-115

By Barbara Mason

Injury decimated the Sacramento King’s roster as they struggled mid-way through the first quarter in their game against the Los Angeles Clippers (11-11) but took the lead 29-21 and extended that lead at the half 62-52.

The Kings (9-14) are currently in eleventh place in the Western Conference. They have dropped their last two games losing to the Lakers 117-92 and prior to that losing to the Memphis Grizzlies 128-101. The Kings come up with a key win snapping a two game skid 124-115 at Staples Center in Los Angeles against the Clippers.

The Kings have experienced meltdowns in the second half of their last two games. In their last game against the Lakers they had a double digit lead mid-way through the third quarter and just couldn’t sustain it losing by 25 points.

Richaun Holmes and Alvin Gentry apologized to the fans for the miserable play. No excuses were made in the postgame presser. Holmes expressed how he felt hearing fans cheer for the Lakers. “You don’t want to hear nobody get chants on your own home floor,” he said. He wants to work hard to get better because as he said, the fans deserve better.

This season has been chaotic for Sacramento. Individually these players have a lot of talent but they are not playing as a cohesive unit and until they do wins will be few and far between.

Wednesday night they took on the Clippers at Staples Center. The Clippers are currently are in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Kings have a 8-14 record in the same conference. There are a number of badly needed players that were questionable for tonight’s game.

Harkless (knee), Marvin Bagley (illness), Harrison Barnes (foot) and Robert Woodard II (ankle) all determined out to start this game. Things just seem to be getting more and more discouraging for the Kings right now.

The Kings had the lead after the first quarter and really turned it on with three minutes left in the second quarter leading by 20 points. While they could not sustain that lead they were leading at the half 62-52. The Hornets had trimmed the Kings lead from 20 to 10 and in the second half Sacramento struggled in their past few games.

The Kings had a great start in the third quarter extending their lead to 75-57. Sacramento continued to play hard and by the end of the third quarter every single starter had shot in the double digits. The Kings now led 99-76 having won the first three quarters of this game.

With four minutes left in the fourth quarter the Kings held onto a significant lead 119-104. With a 1:30 left in the game the Clippers were making a final bid to win this game making up some ground and trailing 119-111.

The Kings fought through four quarters winning 124-115. De’Aaron Fox finished with 24 points with Terence Davis right behind him with 23 points. The Kings had proven that they could finish and in this game they were missing some of their key personnel.

The Kings will be taking on the Los Angeles Clippers again on Saturday December 4th in Sacramento. Tipoff is at 7:00 PM.