Recap: LA Clippers vs. Sacramento
Sports Network | November 13, 2008
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Beno Udrih poured in a career-high 30 points and doled out seven assists to lead the Sacramento Kings past the Los Angeles Clippers, 103-98, from Staples Center.
Jason Thompson and Brad Miller both scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but Miller also dished out eight helpers for the Kings, who have won four of their last five after dropping their first four of the season. John Salmons had 13 points in victory.
The Kings were still without their leading scorer Kevin Martin, who sat out the game with a sprained ankle.
Al Thornton scored 20 points for the Clippers, who have lost seven of eight to begin the season. Ricky Davis chipped in 16 points off the bench, while Baron Davis had 12 points and 11 assists.
Down five late in the fourth, Udrih connected on a layup to make it a seven- point game; however, Ricky Davis came down and answered with a three-pointer to make it a 99-95 affair with 2:19 left in the tilt.
Thornton was then fouled and hit both shots to make it a two-point game.
Thornton fouled Thompson at the other end, and he made 1-of-2.
The Clippers brought the ball down and Thornton drove in for a layup but was fouled by Mikki Moore. A 1-of-2 showing from the line made it 100-98.
Udrih hit a shot from just inside the three-point line on the right wing, and Cuttino Mobley's three-point attempt clanked off the iron. Thompson grabbed the rebound to give the Kings possession.
Spencer Hawes turned the ball over, and the Clippers, down 102-98, took a timeout with 30.5 seconds left.
A botched play saw the ball roll out of bounds, but the possession arrow still pointed towards the Clippers. Another timeout with 22.6 ticks left followed.
LA inbounded the ball and worked it around, and eventually Davis took a three from the top right portion of the arc. It clanked off the front of the iron, and Thompson grabbed the rebound and was fouled, essentially ending the game.
"Tonight was a team effort," Udrih said. "We had a tough loss last night, so we had to go out and play hard tonight."
The Kings were up 27-20 after the first quarter, but that lead shrunk to 50-45 at the half.
Two baskets from Miller and a Thompson jumper to open the third quarter gave Sacramento a 56-45 lead with 9:53 showing on the clock.
The teams traded baskets and the difference hovered around 10 points, and the Kings had an 81-69 lead heading into the final 12 minutes.
"This was a disappointing game for us," said Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy. "We started the game with turnovers and gave them easy baskets. We just didn't do a good enough job of finishing around the rim."
The Clippers started to chip away at their deficit as Mike Taylor drained a three with 9 1/2 minutes left. Then, down at the other end, Bobby Brown was whistled for traveling and LA kept pushing.
The home team brought the ball upcourt and Davis drained a three-ball to make it an 85-80 game.
Quincy Douby did not play for the Kings due to a sore right ankle...The Kings were 5-of-14 from three-point range and the Clippers were 10-of-20 from beyond the arc...Sacramento won the rebounding battle, 40-30...The Kings are 1-4 away from home this season.
