Nique Clifford Is Playing 12 More Minutes a Night for the Kings
With a teammate out, Clifford's minutes and scoring have both jumped over his last three games.
Nique Clifford is averaging 12 more minutes a night over his last three games with a teammate out.
Over that stretch, the Kings guard is playing 37.4 minutes a game. That is up from his season average of 25.1 minutes. His scoring has moved the same way. He is putting up 18.7 points a game in those three games, more than double his season average of 8.6.
Through 75 games in the 2025-26 season, Clifford has been a role player off the Kings bench. The last three games look like a different job. More minutes on the floor usually means more shots, more decisions, and more responsibility late in games.
Whether this holds depends on the teammate whose absence opened the door. If that player stays out, Clifford keeps the extra minutes and the extra scoring load that comes with them. If that player returns, expect Clifford's minutes and points to drift back down toward his season numbers of 25.1 minutes and 8.6 points.
The most recent game in this run was April 12, 2026. That is the clearest picture of what Clifford looks like with a real opportunity in front of him, something he has not had for most of this season.