The LA Clippers take on the Sacramento Kings tonight. We have the three questions that will decide who wins the upcoming game.
For the LA Clippers, it seems like no game this season has been easy. From blowout losses to close wins that should’ve been a breeze, the Clips have kept us on the edge of our seats from day 1.
Tonight, they face off against the Sacramento Kings. This is another game that, on the surface, seems like we shouldn’t be incredibly worried about it. And yet…
In that vein, we’ve got three questions that will be the keys to the LA Clippers pulling off a win against Sacramento.
LA Clippers Key to Victory #1: Can they survive without Pat and Lou?
At time of writing, Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams are listed as questionable for the LA Clippers. If they are both missing, the Clips lose out on their best defender at the guard position and their spark plug off the bench.
To get a win in Sacramento, the team will have to figure out how to replace that production. The obvious solution, and also the one that will probably give fans of the Clippers a shudder, is to bump up the minutes of Reggie Jackson and Terance Mann.
Those two haven’t exactly lit it up this season, and neither of them could really be called a positive player so far. Reggie is still an elite shooter; he shoots 56.3% on spot-ups, good for 1.47 points per possession which is in the 92nd percentile leaguewide. But that’s pretty close to the only positive we can take from those two.
The Clippers will have to figure out if that’s the way to go, if Lou and Bev miss the game, or if there are other options. They could just play the stars bigger minutes, but that might scare you in a season where Kawhi is already playing back to backs for the first time in years.
Another alternative could be the lineup posed by some, including Jonathan Tjarks of the Ringer. Put Marcus Morris in the starting lineup and run a starting group of Batum/George/Kawhi/Morris/Ibaka. That gives you size and defense, but it does somewhat neuter the bench’s scoring attack.
Could Luke Kennard see the starting gig tonight? That keeps Morris on the bench and lets Reggie be the primary ballhandler for the second unit. It’s not a perfect solution, but it might get us by the Kings.
How the Clippers answer the question of replacing Bev and Lou will go a long way to deciding who comes out on top at the end of the game.