The Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Clippers are set to meet for just the second time this season. The Clippers got the better of Sacramento the first time, but will that be the same story this Wednesday? Or, will the Kings get back at LA?

Catch this game live on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 11:30 AM, Manila time

Away: Sacramento Kings (13-8/6-5 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

• De’Aaron Fox
• Kevin Huerter
• Harrison Barnes
• Keegan Murray
• Domantas Sabonis

The Kings are on the cusp of completing a trifecta after winning their last two games, including a 131-118 victory in a shootout against the Brooklyn Nets at home Tuesday. Sacramento had its guns firing on all cylinders, particularly from deep, as the Kings established a new franchise record with 25 triples on 45 attempts (55.6%). 

“We’re a team that can shoot the basketball, and it was evident tonight,” Kings head coach Mike Brown said after the game. No one’s going to argue with that. Sacramento is third in the league with 15.2 3-pointers made per contest and eighth overall with 117.1 points per outing. The Kings hope they’re still hot a day after that performance, as they square off again versus the Clippers, who beat them late last November, 131-117.

De’Aaron Fox, who exploded for 40 points on 14/23 shooting from the field in the last meeting against the Clippers had 29 points and five 3-pointers in the win over Brooklyn.

Home: Los Angeles Clippers (12-10/8-3 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

• James Harden
• Terance Mann
• Paul George
• Kawhi Leonard
• Ivica Zubac

The Clippers are coming into this matchup hotter than Sacramento. Kawhi Leonard and company are on a four-game win streak, a stretch that saw the Clippers take down the likes of the Golden State Warriors and the reigning NBA champs Denver Nuggets. Los Angeles avoided getting upset by the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, with Leonard powering the Clippers with 34 points in a 132-127 home win. 

Both the Clippers and the Kings are playing this game on the second night of a back-to-back, but at least for Los Angeles, it’s not traveling for this contest. The Clippers defeated Sacramento in the first meeting in large part because they were able to control the possession battle, finishing the game with seven more attempts from the field while converting at a higher rate.

The Kings have been vulnerable defensively this season, which is also why despite scoring a ton of points on a regular basis, they’re still just 18th (+0.3) in the NBA in average scoring margin. Meanwhile, the Clippers are sixth with just 109.8 points allowed per game and sixth with a +4.1 average scoring margin.

PREDICTIONS:

Spread: The Clippers (-4) cover the spread.

Over/Under: The total (233.0) hit the Over.