LA the Clippers (40-38) beat Sacramento Kings (21-58) 138-109 on the road on Sunday, April 5. The final margin was 29 points.
The game, quarter by quarter
The Clippers had the better start, winning the first 42-32 to lead by 10 after one. The Clippers kept the pressure on with a 29-27 second quarter, carrying a 12-point lead into halftime.
The Clippers won the third 36-20 to create some separation, taking a 28-point lead into the fourth. The Clippers took the fourth 31-30; the Clippers finished the job for a 138-109 regulation win.
Why it was lopsided
The Clippers took better care of the ball, turning it over on 13.3% of possessions compared with 19.6% for the Kings. The Clippers made 21.7 free throws per 100 field-goal attempts, compared with 11.8 for the Kings. Those extra possessions were crucial.
The Kings did win one battle, second chances: ORB% of 30.8% against 25%. The Clippers made up for it elsewhere.
At roughly 104 possessions per team, the Clippers produced 133.3 points per 100 possessions to 105.3 for the Kings.
The Clippers' reserves also made a difference, outscoring the opposing bench 71-29.
Who stood out
Kawhi Leonard was the game's biggest individual force for LAC: 26 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast on 9-18 shooting. His Game Score of 19.9 led everyone. His team was +26 with him on the floor.
Dylan Cardwell led the Kings with 15 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 4 blk on 7-8 shooting, good for a 16.6 Game Score.
Maxime Raynaud (11 pts, 15 reb, 2 ast) recorded a double-double.
What it means
The pre-game Win Meter had it close to a coin flip, at about 65% for the Clippers.
Across the last 7 meetings in our records, LA the Clippers lead 6-1.
The Clippers are now 40-38, and the Kings are 21-58. The Clippers last five before this game: W-W-W-L-L.
Written automatically by Tip Off Live software from box score data. Ratings and probabilities are our own model estimates.