Inglewood (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Los Angeles Clippers secured a 131-90 win over the Sacramento Kings in Inglewood, led by Kawhi Leonard’s 33 points and James Harden’s 21.
As reported by Field Level Media, the Los Angeles Clippers secured their fifth straight win, beating the Sacramento Kings 131-90 in Inglewood on Tuesday, December 30, with Kawhi Leonard scoring 33 points, 26 of them in the first half.
How did the Los Angeles Clippers defeat the Sacramento Kings 131-90?
James Harden scored 21 points while the Clippers took control, leading 73-40 at halftime. They finished the game with their season’s biggest margin of victory.
Rookie Nique Clifford added a season-high 18 points for the Kings, who struggled for only 90 points in what marked their lowest scoring game of the season.
In the first quarter, Harden contributed 12 points, helping the Clippers turn a 12-10 deficit into a 22-10 advantage before closing the period strong.
Leonard took over in the second quarter, adding 18 points to his earlier eight. The Clippers pulled away with a commanding 39-20 quarter.
The Kings dropped their eighth loss in 10 games, falling short by at least 29 points in the second half. In just 33 minutes on the court, Leonard added five rebounds, five assists, and three steals for Los Angeles.
After scoring 55 points in 39 minutes during Sunday’s victory over the Detroit Pistons, Leonard has totaled 88 points in 72 minutes over his past two games. Harden added five assists in 30 minutes of Tuesday’s game, equaling Leonard’s game-high mark.
John Collins and Yanic Konan Niederhauser contributed 16 points each, while Kris Dunn added 10, helping Los Angeles shoot 51.1%, well above the visitors’ 41%. In 29 minutes on the court, Clifford scored 18 points, exceeding his previous career high of 15 points.
For Sacramento, Maxime Raynaud posted the game’s only double-double, adding 12 points and grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds.
Westbrook scored 12 points, Murray and Schroder added 11 each, joining Clifford and Raynaud in double digits as the Kings tried to bounce back from a 125-101 defeat at Los Angeles on Sunday.
Commenting on his childhood, Westbrook said,
“I grew up wanting to play football. I grew up playing football, taking a bus, going to the park, just being a normal kid in the city. And things happened so fast to me. I always knew if given the opportunity to be able to be somebody, I would take full advantage of it.”
Brook Lopez and Kobe Sanders collected six rebounds each, matching Niederhauser and Dunn for the team lead. Westbrook and Schroder led the Kings in assists, each adding four.
After Sunday’s game, Harden praised Lopez for his impact on the Clippers, saying,
“Honestly, credit to Brook. What he brings to the table defensively. His communication, his contesting shots at the rim, shot-making ability, spacing. A combination of those things has helped us overall as a team offensively.”
Which players stood out in the Clippers vs the Kings match?
The LA Clippers defeated the Sacramento Kings with a final score of 131-90 in their game on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.
The high-scoring players from both teams were:
- Kawhi Leonard (Clippers): 33 points
- James Harden (Clippers): 21 points
- Nique Clifford (Kings): 18 points
- John Collins (Clippers): 16 points
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Clippers): 16 points
- Maxime Raynaud (Kings): 12 points
- Russell Westbrook (Kings): 12 points
Who are the Clippers and Kings facing in their next games?
The LA Clippers will face the Utah Jazz in their next game at Intuit Dome, and the Sacramento Kings will play the Boston Celtics next at Golden 1 Center.
Both games are scheduled for Thursday, January 1, 2026