Kings vs. Clippers Preview: Play-in Preview?

The kings have been on a bit of roll since the All-Star break and won five of their seven games since the break. However, only one of these wins against a team at the moment came over .500. Kings don’t have many of these games left and get as important as tonight’s match against Los Angeles Clippers, the team directly in front of Kings in the playoffs. Currently, Clippers is half a game ahead of Kings for 8th place, but they also lead the season series 2-0, which effectively adds another game if Kings lose the series. I will be an uphill for Kings on the road without two of their best players again, but hopefully they can handle the pressure and get out on top.

Let’s talk kings basketball!

When: Sunday, March 9, 18:30 pt
Where: Intuit Dome, Los Angeles, CA
TV: ESPN, NBC SPORTS CALIFORNIA
Radio: SACTOWN SPORTS 1140

To your consideration

Clippers haven’t had a good start to their post all-star break run, which goes 3-6 since the break. Norman Powell, the team’s leading goal scorer, has been out in much of this stretch and will remain out tonight against Kings. Clippers still has the services of James Harden and Kawhi Leonard to call along with a solid rotation with guys like Ivica Zubac, Derrick Jones Jr. and the former King Bogdan Bogdanovic.

Kings have not played Clippers since November, as Mike Brown was still the main coach and the team looked very different. Sacramento struggled to score in both of these games and failed to break 100 points against a tough clippers defense despite the fact that Kawhi Leonard missed both games. However, Clippers has been one of NBA’s best defenses throughout this season, tied with Orlando Magic for 2. In the league in the defensive rating. It helps to compensate for their defective violation, which is only 20 .. In fact, much of the Clippers violation comes because of their defense as they rank 2. In the NBA in Point Off turnover at 20 a game. They also do a good job of limiting teams from getting a second chance point, allowing the second to be in the league.

Clippers are not a flashy team that will dominate you in some way. They are just consistently good everywhere for the most part and rely more on their hard work and effort to turn the tide. The kings will have to match their intensity at both ends of the court. The kings have more offensive firepower than Clippers, even with Domanta’s Sabonis and Malik Monk’s continued absence. Zach Lavine has shot out the lights since the All-Star break, and the kings need him to continue with it. Lavine played against Clippers just once this season, but it was a great performance of 35 points of 11-21 from the field in a 13-point bulls victory.

Clippers like to slow down the game, and they have been successful on it in both matches against Kings, get Sacramento out of their games and forced their own will. James Harden, who has a down -to -statistics down season, has looked like the old James Harden in both matches against Kings, with Sacramento, who sent him to the line too much (19 attempts in two matches). The kings have to find out a way of defending the hardy without falling for his tricks, and I expect the kings to give him several different looks, but Keegan Murray may be best suited for the job.

Both teams know how important this game is to any endgaments. The kings have not yet taken a against Clippers this season, so a loss tonight means that the kings should get a complete game on Clippers down the road to avoid losing potential tiebreakers. It would also be nice for morals for Kings to beat an actual playoff competitor, something they haven’t done since they beat Timberwolves back in early February (I don’t count the damage that plagued Mavericks). The kings also have another game at home tomorrow against Knicks, so getting a win tonight you have to be a nice start to the week.

Forecast

Keegan Murray unlocks James Harden in the clutch and Kings escapes LA with a fierce fought victory.

Kings 114, Clippers 109