The NBA regular season is winding down, but the impact of each remaining game is only going up. Tonight’s game is no different, as the Kings can once again clinch homecourt in their Play-In matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, while the Clippers could leapfrog the Denver Nuggets for the 4th seed, or potentially fall in to the Play-In with another loss or two. The West standings are incredibly tight right now and won’t be decided until the final game.
Let’s talk Kings basketball!
When: 7:00 PM PT, Friday, April 11th, 2025
Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM
For Your Consideration
With the Kings losing on Wednesday to the Nuggets, they are guaranteed to once again not have a winning season, but they still have a shot at a .500 record if they can win their final two games. This has obviously not been the season anyone has expected or hoped for, but there’s still a chance for the Kings to make some noise here thanks to the Play-In Tournament. This will be the second year in a row the Kings have gone to the Play-In, but if they can manage to advance into the actual Playoffs by winning two games, this will technically be a more successful season than last, even with the worse regular season record.
The Clippers are first up on the docket however, and beating them is not going to be an easy task. In fact, it’s something the Kings haven’t managed to do all year, with their last matchup being the closest, only to fall at the end to another classic Kawhi Leonard bouncing buzzer beater. The Clippers are set to be a bit shorthanded tonight as Nicolas Batum, Amir Coffey and Patty Mills are all out, while Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac are both listed as questionable. Zubac being out would be a gamechanger for the Kings, as he’s a big man that has given the Kings trouble in the past. The Clippers don’t really have a great option behind Zubac, with 6’9 Drew Eubanks being the next man up should Zubac be unable to play.
The Clippers have been one of the hottest teams in the league over the past month, going 16-3 since the last time they faced the Kings, with their losses all being in competitive close games. Kawhi Leonard looks relatively fresh and James Harden is still playing at a high level as well. The Clippers defense is among the best in the league thanks to their bevy of long wings. If Keegan Murray continues to be out (currently listed as questionable), it could be a long night for the Kings. Sacramento struggled against Denver’s size without Murray and LaRavia (who is confirmed out for tonight), and the Clippers could look to take similar advantage if the Kings aren’t able to have effective counters.
DeMar DeRozan had a really rough game against the Nuggets dealing with Aaron Gordon, and I presume the Clippers will throw multiple looks at him including Derrick Jones Jr. and Leonard himself, so it could be another night of struggle for DeRozan. DeRozan’s a scorer first and foremost, but I’d like to see him get into more of a facilitator role if his shot isn’t falling like it was against Denver. Too often in that game he pulled up for tough shot after tough shot when it wasn’t his night. Hopefully he has some better luck tonight.
Prediction
Keegan Murray makes a triumphant return and this time blocks Kawhi Leonard at the buzzer to prevent another heartbreaker.
Kings 116, Clippers 115
This season the Clips have our number;
They slow down our pace, so we lumber.
Both teams are still needing
To firm up their seeding.
Can’t walk through this game in a slumber!
+1 Take aim at the Clippers!
&ct=g
Hopefully Sacramento can jump the shark and sink the Clippers
Go Kings!
“James, the Kings could wrap up the 9th spot with a win tonight.”
My eyes are still trying to unlook what I felt was the second most severe loss of the season (Detroit remains at the top for me), when the Clippers dismantled the Mike Brown Kings early in the season. 3-26 from the 3 point line. Spray! became a curse word to me at that time.
What makes these LA Clippers so good at winning? Is it Harden and Kawhi? It’s more than that. Is it Jeff VanGundy’s defense- that’s more like it. I look at that roster, I look at Sacramento’s squad and I can’t seem to get my head around why there is such a wide chasm between the two.
This year’s LAC team is like last year’s New Orleans Pelicans to the Kings. I expect Sac to lose each and every time they play. I hope they find a way to change that – but I’d be surprised.
On flip side: Toronto visits Dallas tonight (all teams play today, Saturday all teams are off so no one is playing a back to back on the last day of the season. All the Eastern teams play at one time (!0 AM PST) and all the Western teams at one time – 12:30P PST. Dallas heads to Memphis for their season finale. Sacramento hosts Phoenix who will hopefully stay in the ashes.
Hopefully Zubac sits, we can win this one and make Sunday’s game meaningless except for the chance to finish .500 for the 11th best season of the 40 in Sactown.
I’ve been invited to Sunday’s game, and I would love for it to mean something. Either clinch in front of a rabid crowd or watch the dismissive little chap get his comeuppance. Either way, I walk out satisfied.
What makes the Clips good at winning is not having a shitty, meddling owner like Vivek.
Balmer hired a ton of knowledgeable hoops people and let them do their job.
Obligatory- Vivek- go f yourself and leave. Take Matina with you.
Go Sacs!
Thank you Jerry.
Hello Darkness My Old Friend
But… But… how are you going to know the 57 excuses for why various things aren’t going our way?
“The good thing is that it is a deal ball turnover …”
The second I see DDR playing heavy iso ball vs Khawi I am turning it off. It’s basically the same as him forcing shots vs Aaron Gordon.
The more I see the more I think that is the biggest issue with the offense, making DDR iso option 1. It should be part of the arsenal because he can generate quality shots but more like option 3 or 4. And not 10 times a game maybe 3 or 4. Seeing him get selfish to get his and shoot them out of games is off putting especially after seeing better offensive movement and flow vs CLE and DET.
The biggest issue is that, somehow, the Kings are too stupid or stubborn to run the O through Sabonis.
Way to waste your talent Sac
Ihave the perfect trade for you. Derozan(who wants to end his career in Toronto) for R J Barrett. Barrett would be a great fit at small forward next year. He can score, mostly on drives and pull ups but can also shoot the 3. What I also like is his rebounding and assists ( around 5 a game ). His passing is really good and right now only 24 years old. IMO a great fit for the Kings.
Toronto targeted Barrett in the trade with the Knicks for Anunoby. He is younger and better than DeRozan right now. Why would they trade him to the Kings for an old ass DeRozan?
They are young and probably want to keep their core of players together. Barnes, Barrett, Quickley, and Brandon Ingram (whom they just traded for this season.
DeMar would probably net something more like Jonathan Isaac and Gary Harris. The return won’t be great unless picks are attached, and maybe Ellis, Keegan, or Carter.
I thought since Demar wants to end his career in Toronto they might accommodate the request. If you compare the 2 Derozan comes out on top in almost every category.
But they have no future with Demar. They might send some matching salary ( which they don’t really have outside of their best players) but probably not a young core player.
They are trying to get younger . It’s why they traded Siakim . Rebuilding teams don’t trade for 36 year old checkers .
Badge Legend