Tuesday night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, the Los Angeles Clippers put on a show for the home crowd, rolling past the Sacramento Kings with a resounding 131-90 victory. This dominant performance marked the Clippers’ sixth consecutive win, bumping their record to 11-21, while the Kings, continuing a rough stretch, fell to 8-25 after back-to-back losses in Southern California.
From the opening tip, the Clippers asserted themselves, jumping out to a 14-point lead in the first quarter and never looking back. James Harden set the tone early, pouring in 12 points in the opening frame, while Kawhi Leonard, the team’s leading scorer this season, chipped in eight. The Kings, meanwhile, struggled to find any offensive rhythm, with DeMar DeRozan leading their initial charge but unable to keep pace with the Clippers’ firepower.
By the end of the first quarter, Los Angeles led 34-20, and the gap only widened as the game wore on. Sacramento came out flat in the second quarter, and the Clippers took full advantage. Leonard, fresh off a career-high 55-point performance against the Pistons, exploded for 18 points in the second quarter alone, outscoring the entire Kings roster for the half alongside Harden. At the break, Leonard and Harden had combined for 42 points—just two fewer than the Kings’ 40 first-half points.
The Kings’ shooting woes were glaring, as they managed just 32% from the field on 14-of-44 shooting in the first half. With Zach LaVine, Sacramento’s leading scorer at 20.2 points per game, sidelined due to an ankle injury, the Kings lacked offensive punch and cohesion. The absence of Domantas Sabonis, another key contributor out with a knee injury, further hampered their efforts. Keegan Murray did return from a calf injury, but his impact was limited, finishing with 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting.
For the Clippers, the supporting cast stepped up in a big way. John Collins, despite being listed as questionable before the game due to illness, contributed 12 points and two blocks in the first half. Kris Dunn added eight points and two steals, helping to anchor a defense that held the Kings to just 40 points at halftime. The Clippers’ bench also delivered, with rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser turning heads by scoring a career-high 16 points, providing a spark every time he touched the floor.
As the second half unfolded, the defensive clamps only tightened. The Kings struggled to take care of the ball, committing 13 turnovers through three quarters compared to just three by the Clippers. Sacramento’s only real highlight in the third quarter came courtesy of a slick pass from Russell Westbrook to Keegan Murray for a dunk and a coast-to-coast layup by DeRozan, marking their first fast-break points of the night. But those moments were few and far between, as Los Angeles continued to pile on, leading 100-71 at the end of the third quarter.
Rookie forward Nique Clifford was a rare bright spot for Sacramento, making the most of increased playing time by scoring a career-high 18 points. Center Maxime Raynaud also impressed, notching another double-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks. However, the Kings’ lack of hustle and defensive intensity was evident—they recorded just one steal in the entire game while turning the ball over 18 times. The Clippers, meanwhile, capitalized on those mistakes, turning defense into offense with a barrage of 3-pointers and alley-oop dunks in the fourth quarter.
Malik Monk managed to knock down a long-distance field goal in the final period, his only basket of the night, while Drew Eubanks, back from injury, added a baseline dunk and finished with six points in 13 minutes. But the Kings were simply overwhelmed on both ends of the floor, outscored 31-19 in the fourth quarter as Los Angeles cruised to the finish line.
After the game, it was clear that the Clippers’ veteran stars had imposed their will. Leonard led all scorers with 33 points, showing once again why he’s considered one of the NBA’s premier two-way players. Harden quietly racked up 21 points, orchestrating the offense and drawing fouls—he shot 12 free throws, part of a team total of 32 attempts from the charity stripe. According to The Athletic, "The Kings have to focus on these two, not allowing them to go on a scoring rampage. This task was easier said than done. Leonard and Harden combined for 54, scoring 33 and 21, respectively."
On the injury front, both teams were shorthanded. The Clippers were without Bradley Beal (out for the season with a hip injury), Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring), and Ivica Zubac (ankle), while John Collins was a game-time decision but ultimately played. The Kings were missing LaVine and Sabonis, with Murray returning but clearly not at full strength. These absences played a significant role in the game’s lopsided nature, as Sacramento struggled to match Los Angeles’ depth and energy.
The betting world had pegged the Clippers as heavy favorites, with a 9.5-point spread and moneyline odds as high as -425. The over/under was set at 219.5, and the game’s final tally soared past that mark, thanks to the Clippers’ relentless scoring. Dennis Schroder, a key prop bet for 10+ points, was less of a factor on this night, as the spotlight belonged to Leonard, Harden, and the emergent Niederhauser.
Looking ahead, the Clippers will try to extend their winning streak to seven games when they host the Utah Jazz on January 1. The Kings, reeling from consecutive blowout losses, will return home to face the Boston Celtics on the same night, hoping to regroup and find some answers as the season grinds on.
For now, the story is all about the Clippers’ resurgence. With Leonard leading the charge and role players stepping up, Los Angeles is beginning to resemble the dangerous team many expected at the season’s outset. As for Sacramento, the road remains bumpy, but with young talents like Clifford and Raynaud showing promise, there’s at least a glimmer of hope for better days ahead.
