The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Sacramento Kings 104-87. This is the second victory of the Mavericks since the NBA preseason started. Without Danilo Gallinari, Blake Griffin and Wesley Johnson led the Clippers to the victory. Gallinari continues to work his way back from a left foot sprain. With the news that he’s out on Thursday, he is tentatively questionable for the upcoming season proper. At this point, it seems like there's a chance this injury could spill into the regular season, which will affect his chance of getting a substantial role in the upcoming campaign.
The Kings’ Zach Randolph played an amazing game last night, but it was not enough for the Kings to get the victory. The Clippers ended up outscoring the Kings in each of the three quarters, putting yet another game in the win column of the Clippers.
Blake Griffin scored game-high of 20 points
Blake Griffin’s scoring haul has led the Clippers to win on Thursday. Griffin’s score that night served as his fourth double-digit point total in as many exhibitions. The seven-year veteran looked poised to serve as the team's clear-cut offensive leader. Given the amount of responsibility, he could be in for his best all-around season in terms of productivity across the stat sheet, provided if his questionable health can endure.
Blake Griffin’s preseason finale marked his best game so far, as he exceeded his stat line by contributing 18 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals across 26 minutes. The 28-year-old veteran shot on 7-of-13 from the field, 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 2-of-3 from the free throw line.
Wesley Johnson looked very good in Thursday’s game
Next to Blake Griffin, Wesley Johnson played a decent game, contributing 16 points, one assist, five rebounds, and two steals across 31 minutes. The 30-year old veteran has shot no less than 60.0 percent and has been especially impressive from long distance since the preseason started, going 8-for-9 from three-point range.
Johnson now enters his eighth season in the NBA league. Last season, Griffin played for the Clippers and averaged 2.7 points, 0.4 blocks, 0.4 steals, 0.3 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game. In June 2015, Griffin signed a one-year contract with the Clippers. He made his debut for the Clippers in the team’s season opener against the Sacramento Kings. Last year (July 2016), Griffin re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
