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Kings vs Clippers Preview: Kawhi-it The Doubters

The Kings are unbeaten since the All-Star Break but will be put to the test against Paul George and a Clippers squad desperate to prove a 176 point fluke.
By | 36 Comments | Mar 3, 2023

The Sacramento Kings are home again and looking to test out their four game winning streak against the team that gave them seven quarters and a penny to hold the last time they met. Yes, we’re going to talk about Steve Balmer’s vengeance and how they’re going to be gunning for a Sacramento squad now five games ahead of them for the division lead with twenty-one games to play, but honestly? I just want to take a moment before we jump in… breath in… eleven games over the .500 mark, the best away record in the Western Conference. Damn that feels good, don’t it? Okay, gotta get this preview rolling before the self-inflicted fissure in my index finger spits open from typing this!

Let’s talk Kings basketball!

When: Friday, March 3rd – 7:00 PM PT
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140

For Your Consideration

The Bleeding Edge: So I’ve been out for a bit. Many thanks to Greg and Akis for stepping in while I was bleeding out – with friends like those two, who needs enemies. With all this time to sit there and think (because typing was impossible and holding a phone to tweet was painful), I missed out on a lot of the discourse around the last time the Kings and Clippers squared off, in that 176-175 Game of the Decade shoo-in.

Now most of what I want to say has already been said, said better and said by smarter folks than myself, but I’ve got to reiterate here, for posterity sake if nothing else, that was one of the most entertaining single sporting events I have ever watched. Good games, great games even routinely leave my mind by noon the next day – all hype burnt off by the light of reality that even if the Kings did come out on top, they’d be right back at the bottom soon enough. That game though? That game has stuck. I’ve told clients about it, I’ve gone back to watch the highlights, I’ve found myself pondering in the middle of my work day how the hell they found a way as dramatic as THAT to claw back into the contest with less than four minutes left on the clock.

And none of it feels like a fluke.

Sure, the 176 points isn’t going to happen again for a good long while, but that game wasn’t an aberration, an outlier of shooting prowess – it was one of the most efficient offenses in NBA History running at high efficiency. If anything, the Clippers shooting seemed a bit more difficult to replicate in terms of their shooting. But the Kings, through my purple tinted glasses, felt like they could do that again someday. My jaw is still on the floor and I’m happy to drag my chin across the linoleum for a bit longer. What a goddamn game.

Tonight’s contest is going to be another dog fight, regardless of Leonard taking a pass on the game due to injury management. The Clippers haven’t won since the All-Star Break. Call it karma, call it the Kings breaking their collective backs, call it Westbrook-itis. All I know is that I’m calling it a really scary game for Sacramento if they’re taken lightly. If the Kings continue to play this laser focused, pissed off level of game they’ve been throwing out of late? They could clinch this season series with the Clips, distance themselves just that much further from a team desperate to catch up and dare I say, start driving the first of many nails in the coffin of the Kings p**yoff dr**ght.

Guys, I’m off to Mexico at 3 am for a wedding. It ain’t mine, just a dear friends. Not to jinx anything but I’ll be donating $50 to the ASXL Rare Research Endowment to cover any losses that may occur between now and Wednesday. There was a part of me that hoped I could do it on Rare Disease Day (the 28th of February) in honor of our nearly two-year old friend Cooper Crowe, who lives his life with the incredibly rare Bainbridge-Ropers Syndrome, but the Kings foiled those plans. No complaints here, but, would have been a pretty perfect time to do so. Please, please feel free to post any donations here, or in any post-loss articles that occur or tweet them too me or the TKH account. Cooper is a sweet kid, and he could use all the support we can muster. I’ll link the ARRE Foundation here. My many thanks.

Alright, love you all. Don’t play with straight razors if you’re tired and I’ll see you all soon!

Prediction

They’re going for two hundred. They’re hitting every shot they take. Keegan gets 40. Fox gets 50. Sabonis gets 25 assists. Kawhi’s duracells need replacing at halftime from just watching all the scoring going on. I don’t lose my finger to jungle rot in Playa Del Carmen. WE ALL WIN.

Kings: 201, Clippers: 157

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RikSmits
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March 3, 2023 12:52 pm

Must-win game. Can’t let the Coach of the Month down.

Kosta
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March 3, 2023 1:13 pm
Reply to  RikSmits

Soon: Coach of the Year.

Timmy_13
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March 3, 2023 2:44 pm
Reply to  Kosta

Present: Coach of the Kings.

PhilippinesForSacKings
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March 3, 2023 3:04 pm
Reply to  Timmy_13

Past: Coach of the Tape

Jman1949
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March 3, 2023 12:53 pm

Welcome back, Will!

In LA we played a great game.
Now at home we must do the same.
Good start since the break—
Playoff spot still to take—
Let the league know we’re staking our claim!

TheBaker
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March 3, 2023 1:49 pm
Reply to  Jman1949

Jman, you should have the most up thumbs on this site.
I remember the days when there were downvotes, and the animosity it created.

Kosta
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March 3, 2023 1:09 pm

If Westbrook is beyond the arc, should we sit back and dare him to shoot?

https://twitter.com/CTabatabaie/status/1631495501961916417?s=20

PhilippinesForSacKings
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March 3, 2023 3:07 pm
Reply to  Kosta

I don’t know about you, but a lot of times, somebody goes MJ or Steph on us, regardless if that guy scores 5 PPG, shoots horrendously or both. Hence, put all the effort to stop these guys.

AmateurNerd
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March 3, 2023 3:54 pm
Reply to  Kosta

And THAT is why it took the Lakers nine months to trade him.

Kosta
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March 3, 2023 1:11 pm

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Do NOT let the Clippers force Sabonis to go right.

https://twitter.com/pickasidepod/status/1631041200651132928?s=20

Hippity_Hop_Barbershop
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March 3, 2023 1:13 pm
Reply to  Kosta

He’s not an ambi-dribbler.

comment image

Kosta
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March 3, 2023 1:14 pm

“Amphibious”?

NorCalKingsFan
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March 3, 2023 8:32 pm
Reply to  Kosta

he can dribble on land and in the water

KDsBurnerAccount
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March 3, 2023 1:14 pm

Clippers are on a B2B, losing to the Warriors yesterday. Advantage Kings. But I’ve got this feeling that Westbrook is going to have himself a game here because he wants to silence all the critics.

Also, Kings need to be better at Home. They have the best Road record in the West. Only two other teams are better than .500, Clippers and Nuggets (and they’re both just one game over .500). That being said, being so good on the Road shows how gritty this team is. Compare that to the Grizz and Warriors, who have been amazing at home but UGLY on the road.

Kosta
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March 3, 2023 1:15 pm

comment image

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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Nostradumbass 14
March 3, 2023 1:32 pm

So what you are saying is the Westbrook, who is currently shooting below 30% from three is going to going to go off to something of the tune of 6-10 from deep while posting a triple-double….all while the Clips are on the road of a SEGABABA???? How could that possibly happen???
.
.
.
.
.
.
*I could totally see that happening.

Klam
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Nostradumbass 18
Nostradumbass 19
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March 3, 2023 1:44 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

I wonder what our record is when playing teams on the SEGABABA (and that are simultaneously missing a bunch of players). If I had to guess, it isn’t good this season.

Last edited 1 year ago by Klam
Kosta
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March 3, 2023 3:09 pm
Reply to  Klam

It’s a nightmare!

SEGABABAdook

Timmy_13
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March 3, 2023 2:43 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

Bones Hyland will also drop 40 on us because… well Kangz.

TheBaker
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March 3, 2023 1:56 pm

Definitely has the feelings of a trap game; but I still would have to take my chances giving Russ the open looks and clogging the paint. Don’t give him easy drives.

BeTheBall
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March 3, 2023 3:31 pm

Players should be mandated to sleep in hotel rooms the night prior to all home games.

Klam
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Nostradumbass 18
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March 3, 2023 1:42 pm

OT: Man, this guy’s injuries aren’t giving him a break.
https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1631765149160816642

TheBaker
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March 3, 2023 1:57 pm
Reply to  Klam

That’s rough!
He will play one day.

SuperShaka
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March 3, 2023 5:05 pm
Reply to  TheBaker

One day, maybe even one month.

Timmy_13
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March 3, 2023 2:41 pm
Reply to  Klam

Damn! I’ve been told by his pastor that he’s COMPLETELY HEALED.

Klam
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Nostradumbass 18
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March 3, 2023 3:05 pm
Reply to  Timmy_13

LOL.

BeTheBall
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March 3, 2023 3:34 pm
Reply to  Klam

Luckily for the Magic, they can cut him this summer and they only eat $7.6M of his remaining $35M in salary.

Kingsguru21
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March 3, 2023 7:10 pm
Reply to  BeTheBall

And just as importantly, they don’t have to waste time trying to get a medical exemption taking his salary off the books.

murraytant
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March 3, 2023 3:53 pm
Reply to  Klam

Jack- I know you love this guy. But I think he is the most hurt player in the league.
I heard Monte had offered – and was almost accepted – 2 second round picks for Vanderbilt. Alas.

Adamsite
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Nostradumbass 14
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March 3, 2023 4:46 pm
Reply to  Klam

The dude has now played a grand total of 147 games in 6 seasons. That’s good for an average of 24.5 games per year. He’s also on the 2nd year of a $70M dollar 4 year extension.

For reference Greg Oden played grand total of 105 games over 7 years and earned roughly $24M. Issac will make close to $100m before his current deal is over.

Kingsguru21
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March 3, 2023 5:56 pm
Reply to  Adamsite

Only 25M of his remaining deal is guaranteed. I doubt the Magic fully guarantee his deal.

Kingsguru21
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March 3, 2023 7:07 pm
Reply to  Kingsguru21

And actually, I think it’s only 8M after this season. They are going to waive him barring a major surprise.

Hopefully he’s saved his pennies.

Gregoryl
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March 3, 2023 2:17 pm

First game back home, other team on back-to-back and desperate for a win, a bunch of their players out….yuck….

RPO
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RPO
March 3, 2023 2:45 pm

Sheesh… this being a SEGABABA for the other team is kind of frightening.

MichaelMack
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March 3, 2023 4:51 pm

Good to be reading you again Will, hope you recover quickly, and have a fun weekend.

Matched your donation to ARRE, good vibes for tonight!

andy_sims
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March 3, 2023 4:55 pm

So, take the over?

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