[Game] 79/82: Kings vs. Clippers 05 APR 2026, 6pm PT/9pm ET

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

LA Clippers 39-38 (18-21 Away) @ Sacramento Kings 21-57 (14-25 Home)
05 April 2026, 6pm PT/9pm ET
Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, California


Last 5:
Clippers 3-2 Kings 2-3

Series:
Clippers lead 2-1​

Game Preview:
Clippers hope to improve play-in seeding with win over Kings (NBA.com)

Availability:
Broadcast: NBA League Pass, NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140 AM

Box Score (via ESPN.com)

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Injury Report (as of 4pm ET):
Clippers:
Isaiah Jackson - OUT (ankle)
Bradley Beal - OUT FOR SEASON (hip)
Yanic Konan Niederhauser - OUT FOR SEASON (foot)

Kings:
Keegan Murray - OUT (ankle)
Isaiah Stevens - OUT (ankle)
Russell Westbrook - OUT (foot)
Drew Eubanks - OUT FOR SEASON (thumb)
De'Andre Hunter - OUT FOR SEASON (eye)
Zach LaVine - OUT FOR SEASON (finger)
Domantas Sabonis - OUT FOR SEASON (knee)


Referee Assignments:
Brent Barnaky (#36 - Crew Chief), Rodney Mott (#71 - Referee), Simone Jelks (#81 - Umpire). Fifty years combined experience.


Mister Slim Says:

HERE WE GO AGAIN! (Here we go again!)

SAME OLD SONG AGAIN! (Same old song again!)

MARCHING DOWN THE AVENUE! (Marching down the avenue!)

FOUR MORE GAMES, AND WE'LL BE THROUGH! (Four more games, and we'll be through!)

Well, the Kings have no reason to win, and the Pelicans have no reason to lose, so expect Sacramento to light the beam tonight!

Well, would you look at that...

Kings won a meaningless game Friday night, and now host the Clippers in their penultimate home game of the season. The Clippers, who sit in the unenvious ninth spot would like to improve their play-in positioning, and thus have something to play for... But, then again, New Orleans had something to play for, and look what happened. And, to make matters worse, Malik Monk appears to have been taken off the injury report, so Kings Fans may not even get the feel-good of seeing the Kings win on the backs of the youth. If any of Monk, DeRozan or Achiuwa play more than six minutes in the second half, I will not be pleased.

Play the kids.

 

[Warhawk]

Had to vote for the Bundy family here. That show was quite something in its time.

 

[Caccia]

Better yet, start Cardwell, McDermott, Plowden, Carter, and Hayes. Make everyone else come off the bench for six minutes per half, future Hall-of-Famer or no.

That should do the trick.

 

[SLAB]

LETS GO KINGS!

 

[gunks]

In b4 the win!

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

In b4 the win!

Gotta win out. Shut this thing down in style

 

[Caccia]

What does Carter starting say for his future prospects with the Kings? This is his ninth start of the season.

 

[Sluggah]

Drove through Sacramento today…not sure what will get fixed first, the Kings or that damn merge before the causeway.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

What does Carter starting say for his future prospects with the Kings? This is his ninth start of the season.

Can't call it until after the draft, but he's got "rotation player" talent in my Personal Record Book™.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

What does Carter starting say for his future prospects with the Kings? This is his ninth start of the season.

Probably not a whole lot. Yes, he's finally getting a look, but he's also #1 in a dearth of options. Killian Hayes is basically the only other option, unless you're going to ask Monk to be PG.

The Kings are almost certainly going to be picking top-8. Of those top 8 prospects, you're going to be looking at grooming 5 or maybe 6 of those guys as your future primary ballhandler. So there's something like a 75% chance that any inroads Carter has made in the PG progression for the Kings will be immediately undermined by the draft.

 

[Spike]

LETS GO KINGS!

I'm still in the running!

 

[Tetsujin]

Cardwell is such a good defender that the Clippers are shooting the lights out and still not completely running away with it

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

No contact. Should be an easy overturn.

 

[Krunker]

Wow Kayte just said she had a good vantage point

 

[Tetsujin]

Tank commander Malik Monk

 

[Caccia]

The mind of Monk seems to be in Cancun already.

 

[Caccia]

Dylan says, "Hey, I can pass the ball too, you know!"

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Interest level when the offense is playing through the kids:

Interest level when the offense is playing through the vets:

 

[Caccia]

Raynaud may need to work on his dunks.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

You could hear Max's primal scream through the courtside mics and he missed the dunk...

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Lopez is catching Raynaud sleeping on that rotation.

 

[Tetsujin]

Kris Dunn straight up allowed to just tackle his guy on defense every possession like he’s a Legion of Boom member.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Nuts and Gum Raynaud and Cardwell, together at last!

 

[Caccia]

Cardwell hustles well.

 

[Tetsujin]

The all young guys lineup is actually sorta good. Avery your eyes people rooting for the Lin

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Five kids in at once:

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Yessir!

 

[Tetsujin]

Nique looking good as the primary ballhandler as he did in Summer League.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

So giphy cracks the code?

 

[Caccia]

DeRozan sits to start the second half.