Kawhi Leonard, Paul George take control while Kings ‘take a licking’ in loss to Clippers
Marvin Bagley III, Richaun Holmes and Chimezie Metu had some nice moments, but Kawhi Leonard and Paul George made the Kings look completely defenseless in an embarrassing loss on their home floor.
Leonard and George combined for 53 points, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 138-100 victory over the Kings on Friday night at Golden 1 Center. Leonard had 27 points, six assists and four rebounds with one turnover for the Clippers (9-4), who have won 15 in a row in Sacramento dating back to 2013.
Leonard made 10 of 15 field-goal attempts and didn’t miss in six trips to the free-throw line. George scored 26 points, making 8 of 14 from the field, 4 of 8 from 3-point range and 6 of 6 free throws. Marcus Morris Sr. came off the bench to score 18 points.
The Clippers shot 58.4% from the field and made 18 of 35 (.514) from 3-point range. They also amassed a 47-32 rebounding advantage.
“That team just came in and pushed us around,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “They were bigger, they were stronger and they pushed us off our spots. If we don’t play as well as we can, we’re not even giving ourselves a chance to win because of our lack of defensive presence.
“We have to understand, as a group, we’ve got to be able to guard people, guard people and rebound when we get stops. Right now it’s something we’ have to figure out. We will figure it out, but it was evident tonight.”
Bagley had 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting with five rebounds, two assists and one blocked shot for the Kings (5-8), who have lost seven of nine since going 3-1 to start the season.
Holmes had 17 points and five rebounds. Barnes added 14 points, six rebounds and four assists. Metu came off the bench to post 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 18 minutes.
Glenn Robinson III was asked if it’s up to the players or coaches to create a sense of defensive pride for a team that has allowed 131.7 points per game over the past seven games.
“We’re professional athletes,” Robinson said. “We come in here and we play basketball every day for a living. If you’re depending on Luke to get you hyped, if you’re depending on Rico Hines to come in and yell at you and get you ready for the game and hyped, you shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t be a professional basketball player. You get paid to do this job for a reason and we all know that. We have to be better.”
Walton was asked if he’s seeing anger or frustration from his players.
“It doesn’t matter to me what I see outwardly,” Walton said. “What we need to feel is fire from within, because you can throw tables around and toss chairs, but none of that means anything. The fire from within is where you build that desire to come out and give everything you have to stop people. That desire from within is where we, as a group, push ourselves out of where we’re at defensively and actually become a defensive team that cares about getting stops and values and looks forward to that part of the game. That’s where I hope the anger and frustration is.”
The Kings were seeking their first home victory over the Clippers since March 19, 2013. That didn’t happen. The Clippers led by eight at the half and then blew the game open in the third quarter, blitzing the Kings with a 28-6 run to build up a 33-point lead. Things only got worse in the fourth quarter for the Kings, who shot 47.1% and made 8 of 26 (.308) from 3-point range while the Clippers did whatever they wanted.
“I told the guys afterwards, look, our effort so far this year has been pretty darn good,” Walton said. “Consistently, the effort has been there. There are a lot of really good teams we’ve played against and a lot of really good players we’ve gone against, but the effort has to be there for us. We’re not a team that’s built to not play with maximum effort, and when we don’t, which I don’t think we came out in the third quarter with, that’s what should happen to us. It is a privilege to be a part of this league. If you don’t give the proper respect and effort to the game, then you should take a licking like that.”
Injury updates
Kings center Hassan Whiteside was ruled out after being listed as questionable due to left hip soreness. Whiteside is averaging 6.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 12.7 minutes per game.
Clippers guards Lou Williams (hip) and Patrick Beverley (personal reasons) were also held out. Williams is averaging 9.3 points per game and shooting 38.5% from 3-point range. Beverley is averaging 8.7 points and shooting a career-high 43.6% from beyond the arc.
Earlier Friday, the Kings said an MRI confirmed rookie guard Jahmi’us Ramsey has a left groin strain. He will be reevaluated in two to three weeks.
More games postponed
The NBA postponed three more games Friday as teams contend with COVID-19 cases and contact tracing while the league tries to traverse some of the darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic.
A total of 13 games have been postponed since the start of the season. Twelve games have been postponed this week. Eighteen teams have had at least one game postponed, led by the Washington Wizards (4), Boston Celtics (3) and Phoenix Suns (3).
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported there was significant discussion about expanding rosters during the league’s call with general managers Friday. The league might allow teams to carry a third two-way contract player to increase the number of available players. Two-way players are allowed to be active for up to 50 games this season.
Up next
The Kings will conclude their seven-game homestand when they play host to the New Orleans Pelicans (4-6) on Sunday at Golden 1 Center.
The Pelicans had lost four in a row going into Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Zion Williamson was cleared to return after missing Wednesday’s 111-106 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers under NBA health and safety protocols, but Lonzo Ball was still out with bilateral knee tendinopathy.
Brandon Ingram is averaging 23.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists for the Pelicans. Williamson is averaging 21.9 points and 8.1 rebounds. Steven Adams leads the team with 8.6 rebounds per game.
Injury report
Clippers: OUT — Patrick Beverley (personal); Lou Williams (hip).
Kings: OUT — Hassam Whiteside (hip); Jahmi’us Ramsey (groin); DaQuan Jeffries (ankle).
Upcoming Kings schedule
Jan. 17 vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 6 p.m.
Jan. 20 at Los Angeles Clippers, 7 p.m.
Jan. 22 vs. New York Knicks, 7 p.m.
Jan. 24 at Memphis Grizzlies, 5 p.m.
Jan. 25 at Memphis Grizzlies, 5 p.m.
This story was originally published January 15, 2021 at 10:04 PM with the headline "Kawhi Leonard, Paul George take control while Kings ‘take a licking’ in loss to Clippers."
