Kawhi-less Clippers drop trip finale in Sacramento
Russell Westbrook scores 20 points to pace the Clippers, but Domantas Sabonis has 22 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Kings to a 109-95 win
Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis moves the ball between the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac, left, and Paul George during the first half on Tuesday night in Sacramento. Sabonis had 22 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Kings to a 109-95 win. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook looks to shoot between Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles, left, and guard De’Aaron Fox during the second half on Tuesday night in Sacramento. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers star Paul George, left, tries to get past Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) shoots over Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) shoots between Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis, left, and guard Keon Ellis (23) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) shoots over Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers center Daniel Theis, left, looks for an open teammate while defended by Sacramento Kings center Alex Len during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) moves the ball while defended by Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, shoots over Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes, left, shoots over Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, right, moves the ball while defended by Clippers guard Terance Mann during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown watches during the first half of a game against the Clippers, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers center Daniel Theis (10) shoots while defended by Sacramento Kings center Alex Len (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, right, moves the ball while defended by Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) moves the ball while defended by Clippers guard James Harden during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, left, recovers a loose ball next to Clippers guard James Harden during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) dunks next to Clippers guard Terance Mann during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, left, dunks next to Clippers guard Terance Mann during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers guard James Harden, from left, passes while defended by Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) and center Alex Len (25)during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell shoots a 3-point basket against the Clippers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell watches his 3-point basket against the Clippers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) shoots between Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, left, and center Domantas Sabonis during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) tries to get past Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) shoots over Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings star Domantas Sabonis moves the ball between the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac, left, and Paul George during the first half on Tuesday night in Sacramento. Sabonis had 22 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Kings to a 109-95 win. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles (41) moves the ball while defended by Clippers guard Norman Powell, second from left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis reacts after scoring against the Clippers during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) celebrates with forward Keegan Murray (13) after scoring against the Clippers during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, right, tries to get past Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (10) shoots while defended by Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis, left, and Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) compete for possession of the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox, left, moves the ball while defended by Clippers guard Brandon Boston Jr. during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) shoots a 3-point basket over Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis reacts during the second half of a game against the Clippers, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) moves the ball past Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook, second from left, dunks next to Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles (41) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) blocks a shot by Clippers guard Russell Westbrook (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Clippers star Paul George watches from the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
SACRAMENTO — The Clippers’ four-game road trip ended without All-Star Kawhi Leonard and without a win.
Domantas Sabonis had 22 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists, and the Sacramento Kings beat the Clippers, 109-95, on Tuesday night.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said he hopes Leonard, who flew back to Los Angeles for treatment on a sore knee after playing on Sunday at Charlotte and has stayed relatively healthy this season, will be available Thursday night against Western Conference-leading Denver.
Russell Westbrook led the Clippers with 20 points. Paul George had 18 and Norman Powell, starting for Leonard, scored 17.
Lue liked his team’s defense and intent, but he said the Clippers couldn’t rebound or make shots when they needed to. The Clippers had won the first three games of a four-game trip before Tuesday’s loss.
“I want us to play like we have the last four games,” Lue said.
The Kings moved within one game of sixth-place New Orleans in the Western Conference as they seek to avoid the play-in tournament. Sacramento (44-31) is tied with Phoenix with seven games left, including a four-game trip that begins Thursday at New York.
The Clippers are fourth in the West. Sacramento held the Clippers below 100 points for just the fifth time this season.
“This is how you win in the playoffs,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “You don’t win in the playoffs averaging 125 points a game and think that’s how you’re going to win.”
De’Aaron Fox added 20 points and seven assists for the Kings, and Keegan Murray had 19 points.
“We were being aggressive,” forward Trey Lyles said. “We were talking. We were covering for one another. We were getting to their shooters. And we followed the game plan, basically, to a tee tonight. When we’re capable (of doing that), when we’re five guys on a string, we’re hard to score on.”
Guard Davion Mitchell said the Kings embraced the physicality on defense. They blitzed future Hall of Famer James Harden, who had six points on 1-of-7 shooting in 31 minutes, and forced him to go right. They showed different looks at All-Star Paul George, who scored 18 points on 5-for-12 shooting after he had 41 points during Sunday’s win at Charlotte.
“We’re just getting ready for the playoffs,” Mitchell said.
Sacramento led by just five at halftime but outscored the Clippers 35-19 in the third quarter, with Sabonis scoring nine in the period.
Murray had one of the biggest highlights of the third with an emphatic dunk off a Clippers turnover on a fast break.
Neither Ivica Zubac nor Westbrook joined their teammates down the court on offense after the Kings committed a turnover, and when the Clippers gave it right back, Murray hesitated before slamming it on Zubac with his right hand to put the Kings ahead, 76-62.
“Keegan’s starting to get a little wiggle now,” said Brown, who has been pushing for the second-year forward to be more aggressive.
He added: “It’s about time.”
Sacramento scored the last seven of the quarter, with a dunk by Alex Len giving the Kings a 91-70 lead heading into the fourth.
Sacramento led by 16 after a 20-4 run in the second quarter. Davion Mitchell had 14 points in the first half, including four 3-pointers. But the Clippers cut the deficit to 56-51 at halftime.
