Short-handed Clippers trail Kings from start to finish

LOS ANGELES — In a sense, Staples Center was the tract of a brace of G League games Wednesday.

Midday, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario – the organization’s developmental squad – borrowed the arena to decision the Salt Lake City Stars, 116-108.

By the 4th fourth aboriginal that night, a brace of G League regulars were connected the tribunal with Terance Mann, Luke Kennard and Justise Winslow, closing retired the NBA crippled connected the aforesaid tribunal – and cutting it close. They brought the severely short-handed Clippers backmost from 25 down to wrong 8 points earlier yet succumbing successful a 124-115 nonaccomplishment to the Sacramento Kings.

Both of the Clippers’ superstars were relegated to spectator presumption connected Wednesday, arsenic Paul George got the nighttime disconnected to remainder aft 21 games of dense lifting.

He joined Kawhi Leonard – retired indefinitely aft country to repair a torn ACL – a spectator for the Clippers’ 3rd consecutive loss, this 1 astatine the hands of the Sacramento Kings, who improved to 9-14 and won their 4th crippled successful their past 5 appearances against the Clippers successful the building.

The Clippers besides continued to miss Nicolas Batum. Playing their sixth consecutive crippled without their versatile seasoned (who is retired successful accordance with COVID steadfast and information protocols), they stumbled to 2-4 without him – and present are 11-11 overall. After starting the play 8-4, the Clippers person mislaid 7 of their past 10.

For the archetypal clip this season, Coach Tyronn Lue started a brace of centers – 7-foot Ivica Zubac and 6-10 Serge Ibaka – and his squad was competitory connected the boards, winning that tally 49-38 – including 17-7 connected the violative glass. L.A. besides finished with 35 assists – 7 much than the Kings. And the Clippers made 1 much handbasket than the Kings, going 47 for 100 portion Sacramento changeable 46 for 88.

Credit the Kings’ occurrence Wednesday to their abrupt prowess from beyond the 3-point arc – the nighttime aft shooting conscionable 6 for 29 from 3-point scope successful a 117-92 nonaccomplishment to the Lakers – they went 15 for 38 from heavy against the Clippers.

All 5 Kings starters scored successful treble figures, led by Terence Davis’ 23 points. L.A. autochthonal Chimezie Metu (USC) scored 13. And disconnected the bench, rookie Davion Mitchell – heralded for his defence – enactment connected an violative clinic, finished with 20 points connected 7-for-10 shooting, including going 3 for 4 from deep.

With Lue’s starting large men joining George and Leonard connected the seat successful the last period, the youngsters helped chopped the pb to 119-111 connected a brace of Keon Johnson escaped throws with 1:28 left, and past to 121-113 connected a mates much from Mann (who scored a season-high 19 points successful the loss, equaling Kennard’s total).

As for the Clippers’ prospects?

Two days aft scoring 46 points successful a G League crippled astatine Staples Center, Brandon Boston Jr. showed flashes of his violative flourish, finishing with 13 points connected 5-for-10 shooting.

And conscionable a fewer hours aft helium scored 36 points connected 15-for-30 shooting, Jay Scrubb played 16 minutes for the big-league team, contributing 5 points.

Johnson scored 2 points but was plus-14 successful his 12 minutes of work.

Wednesday’s contention was the commencement of a four-day, two-game series betwixt the teams, with an intracity showdown with the Lakers successful betwixt connected Friday.

On Saturday, the Clippers volition question to Sacramento, wherever they’ve beaten their hosts 15 consecutive times.

More to travel connected this story.