All eyes are focused on the injury report, especially Kawhi Leonard’s status, as the Sacramento Kings (5-3) prepare to host the Los Angeles Clippers (4-4) on Friday. Unfortunately for Clippers fans, Leonard will not be making his season debut against the Kings. Reports surfaced prior to the start of the 2024-25 regular season, indicating that the superstar forward would be out indefinitely due to inflammation in his right knee, the same knee that forced him to withdraw from the 2024 Olympics.
Earlier this week, the Clippers announced that this week, November 3, would not be the week that Leonard would be returning to the lineup. So the two-time NBA champion and 2020 Finals MVP will have to wait a little longer before taking the court again.
Outside of Leonard, the Clippers will also be missing Mo Bamba due to a knee injury, and P.J. Tucker will not be with the team moving forward, per recent reports. On the other side, the Kings will continue to be without their 2024 first round pick, Devin Carter (shoulder), as well as their free agent acquisition, Orlando Robinson (MCL). However, Kevin Huerter has returned to the lineup after missing two games this week with illness.
Despite the injury concerns, this matchup between the two California-based teams has the potential to be a thriller. In their last meeting back in April, the Kings prevailed 109-95 over the Clippers. Prior to that, the two teams engaged in an intense double overtime game in February that ended with the Kings coming out on top 176-175.
Swing Stat: Floater Area Scoring
When analyzing this game, a key stat to watch will be floater area scoring. This season, the Clippers have led the league in floater shots made.
On the other hand, the Kings are also excellent in this zone, ranking 3rd in the NBA in floater area scoring percentage on the 7th-most attempts per game. However, the Kings do allow opponents to take a lot of shots in this area, which could play into the Clippers’ hands.
Players like Ivica Zubac, James Harden, and Norman Powell will look to exploit the Kings’ defense by knocking down their signature push shots and floaters. This mid-range battle could be the game-winning swing stat.
How to Watch
The Sacramento Kings host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, November 8th at 10:00 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel SN-SSoCal and stream it online. Ticket prices start at $45.
With the Clippers looking to bounce back from their previous loss to the Kings and Sacramento aiming to continue their strong start to the season, this divisional clash is shaping up to be an exciting one. Be sure to tune in to see if the Kings can once again get the better of the star-studded Clippers.
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