Kings
Clippers Outscore Kings 32-16 in the Third and Lead by as Many as 28
The Clippers beat the Kings 121-96 at Intuit Dome and never trailed. A 41-point first quarter set the pace, and a 32-16 third quarter put the game away. The Kings entered 0-2 and the Clippers entered 1-1.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 3 h ago01The story of the nightThe turning point: a 16-point third quarterThe Clippers led from the opening quarter.
The Clippers led from the opening quarter. They scored 41 points in the first and went up 41-29. The Kings won the second quarter 25-20 and cut the deficit to 61-54 at halftime. That was as close as they got in the second half. The game had no lead changes, and the Kings' biggest lead was 0. The third quarter decided it. Los Angeles scored 32, and Sacramento managed 16. The score after three was 93-70. The Kings outscored the Clippers 26-28 in the fourth, which is to say they lost it by two more points. The Clippers' biggest lead reached 28 points.
02Garland leads a deep Clippers attackDarius Garland scored 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting.
Darius Garland scored 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting. He hit 3 of 8 from three and 5 of 8 at the line, and he added 4 assists. Brook Lopez came off the bench for 17 points and 11 rebounds on 7-of-12 shooting. Keaton Wagler scored 15 off the bench with 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 threes. Isaiah Jackson added 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting in under 15 minutes. Gradey Dick had 12 off the bench. Kris Dunn scored just 7, but he had 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Rui Hachimura shot 3-of-13 but grabbed 8 rebounds.
03Where the Clippers won itThe bench was the clearest gap.
The bench was the clearest gap. Los Angeles got 53 points from its reserves, and Sacramento got 34. The Clippers also won the paint 56-48 and the fast break 27-18. They shot 52.4 percent (43 of 82) against 42.4 percent (36 of 85) for the Kings. From deep they went 14 of 35, and the Kings went 8 of 28. Both teams turned the ball over 17 times, and the Kings scored 23 points off turnovers to the Clippers' 21. The Clippers had 14 steals and 5 blocks. The Kings had 10 steals and no blocks. Los Angeles also took the boards 58-52 and the assists 29-22.
04Kings: LaVine and Sabonis, little elseZach LaVine scored 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, but he had 4 turnovers and finished minus-16.
Zach LaVine scored 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, but he had 4 turnovers and finished minus-16. Domantas Sabonis had 14 points, 18 rebounds and 8 assists, and he did not miss, going 5 of 5 from the field and 4 of 4 at the line. Precious Achiuwa gave Sacramento 15 off the bench. The rest of the lineup struggled. Darius Acuff Jr. shot 5 of 24, went 0 of 7 from three and was minus-23 in nearly 35 minutes. Keegan Murray went 1 of 8 and scored 2 points. De'Andre Hunter went 0 of 4 at the line.
05What it means for each teamThe Clippers entered at 1-1 and seventh in the West.
The Clippers entered at 1-1 and seventh in the West. They had lost their last game, and this was a one-sided answer. Their bench was productive, and the starters were not needed late. The Kings entered at 0-2, 15th in the West, and 0-2 over their last 10. This game offered no relief. Their offense relied on LaVine and Sabonis, and the third quarter showed how fast the game can get away when the guards miss. Acuff's night is the biggest concern. The Kings need more from their shooters before the early-season hole gets deeper.
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