The Los Angeles Clippers will be facing the Sacramento Kings tonight. Both these teams have gotten off to a relatively good start this NBA season. The Clippers had Kawhi Leonard rehabilitate all of last season. NBA fans remember he strained his ACL in the 2021 NBA playoffs and was soon sidelined.
We expected him to make a return completely healthy this season. However, that has not been the case. Kawhi has only played in 5 games this season, averaging 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. Nonetheless, the Clippers are doing quite well and currently hold a record of 13 wins and 10 losses.
Sacramento is also doing surprisingly well early into the season, led by De’Aaron Fox, they hold a record of 11 wins and 9 losses. As both these western conference teams face off, we should wonder about the availability status of the players and expected rosters for both sides.
Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss the Los Angeles Clippers vs Sacramento Kings game tonight
Unfortunately for fans of the Klaw, he is not expected to suit up for the Los Angeles Clippers anytime soon. In fact, there isn’t even a clear timetable for his return. This is devastating news for the franchise as they were looking to be title contenders this season if healthy.
The Clippers even recruited veteran point guard John Wall in order to improve their sheer star talent. Despite being injured for a long time, Wall is still playing at a high level. That would also explain why the Clippers are doing well despite missing Kawhi and Paul George for several games.
LA Clippers coach, Tyron Lue has certainly proved his worth by keeping the team competitive despite a lack of healthy star talent. He will have to make the best of what he’s got against the Sacramento Kings tonight. With that being said, let us take a look at the injury reports and expected rosters for the Clippers-Kings game.Los Angeles Clippers injury report
- Kawhi Leonard
- Paul George
- Luke Kennard
- Norman Powell
Los Angeles Clippers expected roster
- John Wall
- Reggie Jackson
- Marcus Morris Sr
- Terance Mann
- Ivica Zubac
Sacramento Kings injury report
There are no players currently listed out according to the Sacramento Kings injury report.
Sacramento Kings expected roster
- De’Aaron Fox
- Harrison Barnes
- Domontas Sabonis
- Keegan Murray
- Malik Monk
NBA fans already know that Malik Monk and Domontas Sabonis are the latest additions to the Sacramento Kings. Both of them were quite useful for the Lakers and Pacers last season. Their presence might just be the explanation for the Kings doing well this season.
Finally, let us also take a look at the expert picks and predictions as the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings face off tonight.
The Clippers will be slightly favored over the Kings
Since Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are not expected to play in this game, it promises to be quite an even matchup. Both teams are certainly looking to prove something at this point in the NBA season. The Clippers are looking to show that they are still a threat without their main stars.
On the other hand, the Kings are eager to show that these new additions and a fresh start are all they needed to become a legitimate team in the Western Conference. Therefore, it is quite difficult to pick a team to win this game. However, since the Clippers have a better record and home-court advantage for this match, we are siding with them as the favorites to win this game.
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