Los Angeles Clippers’ leading scorer ruled out for NBA Cup game against Sacramento Kings
The Los Angeles Clippers will be missing one of their best players when they face the Sacramento Kings in an NBA Cup in-season tournament game Friday at Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue told reporters Norman Powell has been ruled out for Friday’s game due to a strained left hamstring. The Clippers are also missing six-time All-Star Kawhi Leonard, who has yet to suit up this season due to right knee injury recovery.
Powell is the team’s leading scorer. He is averaging a career-high 23.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 49% from the field and a sizzling 48.7% from 3-point range on 7.9 attempts per game.
Powell had 31 points and 12 rebounds in a 107-98 victory over the Kings on Nov. 8 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. He went 10 of 23 from the field and 5 of 9 from beyond the arc.
Powell has four 30-point games this season. He scored a season-high 37 points in a win over the Denver Nuggets on Oct. 26.
The Clippers (8-7) were coming off back-to-back wins over the Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors going into Wednesday’s game against the Orlando Magic.
The Kings (8-7) are coming off a 109-108 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. DeMar DeRozan (back), Malik Monk (ankle) and Domantas Sabonis (back) have missed recent games due to injuries, but all three are close to returning.
Kings coach Mike Brown said DeRozan and Sabonis will likely play against the Clippers after being full participants in practice the past two days. Monk will “most likely” be held out.
DeRozan is averaging 22.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists in his first season with the Kings. Sabonis averages 20.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists. Monk, the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award last season, is averaging 12.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 6:59 PM.
