The Los Angeles Clippers open their second six-game road trip of the season Thursday night against the Sacramento Kings at the Power Balance Pavilion. The Grammy road trip for the Clippers was a 10-day trek, while this current trip is crammed into nine days.
The Clippers (20-12) have lost three of their last four games and hold just a half-game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Pacific Division. The Kings (12-22) have won two straight, including a 103-96 triumph over the Utah Jazz Tuesday night in the first home game for the Kings since Sacramento announced plans for a new arena to keep the Kings in town.
This is the first of three meetings this season between the Clippers and Kings. The Clippers won three of four games against the Kings last season. Los Angeles is 8-7 on the road this season, including 7-3 in their last 10 games away from home.
Blake Griffin led all scorers with 30 points on Tuesday night against Minnesota, including 18 points in the first quarter, a career high for Griffin in any one quarter in his career. The 24 points Griffin scored in the first half against the Timberwolves were the most points by a Clippers player in one half this season. Griffin averaged 22.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game last season against Sacramento.
Marcus Thornton leads Sacramento in scoring this season at 18.3 points per game.
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