The Los Angeles Clippers managed to overcome the Sacramento Kings with a score of 117:131, despite a brilliant performance by De’Aron Fox.
When it comes to the team from Los Angeles, they have experienced a quite turbulent period, and the team is still finding its footing. The arrival of James Harden has changed everything, and now the goal is to quickly integrate a large number of stars. On the other hand, Sacramento has had a very solid NBA season so far, but they were seriously dismantled by the Clippers on their home court.
The outcome was already hinted at after 12 minutes of play. It was immediately clear that Kawhi Leonard and James Harden were in exceptional form, and that usually doesn’t bode well for the opponent. The Clippers scored 72 points in the first 24 minutes of play, taking a commanding 22-point lead into halftime. This effectively sealed the fate of the game.
Sacramento attempted a comeback in the second half, but it was unsuccessful, and a deficit of 13 points at times was the most they could narrow it down to. In the end, the visiting team celebrated with a 14-point lead. The key was undoubtedly the excellent defense of the visitors, forcing Sacramento into 14 turnovers with only 22 assists.
The duo of Harden and Leonard combined for 34 points, with the former Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs player contributing all 34 on his own. On the other side, De’Aron Fox was outstanding, scoring 40 points, but it proved to be insufficient in the end.