Shorthanded Clippers torch Kings in lackluster season-opener

The Sacramento Kings never led Wednesday night. That pretty much tells the story.

Sacramento opened the 2026-27 regular season with a 121-96 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome, getting outscored 60-42 in the second half after briefly making things interesting in the second quarter.

The Kings trailed by 12 after the first quarter, cut the deficit to seven by halftime, and then completely fell apart coming out of the locker room.

The Clippers opened the third quarter with a 24-13 run, quickly reclaiming a double-digit lead and eventually pushing it to 18. Sacramento was outscored 32-16 in the third quarter, with sloppy play and a lack of resistance defensively turning what had been a competitive game into a blowout.

And that’s what made Wednesday’s loss so concerning.

Keaton Wagler ➡️ Kris Dunn

OKAY NOW!! 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/VBf6UyDqyL

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 22, 2026

The Clippers were without Brandon Ingram, Bradley Beal, and Max Strus due to injury. Sacramento was missing Malik Monk and Ben Simmons, who is out for the season, but the Kings had no reason to look as overwhelmed as they did against a depleted Los Angeles roster.

For stretches, it looked eerily similar to last season. Uncompetitive. Sloppy. Unable to consistently get stops.

Los Angeles scored 41 points in the first quarter, shooting 67% from the field and knocking down seven of its first 10 three-point attempts. The Kings did eventually settle down defensively, holding the Clippers to 38% shooting in the second quarter, but that stretch was the exception rather than the rule.

The three-point shooting was another major problem.

Sacramento finished just 8-for-28 from deep, good for 28%, while the Clippers shot 40% from beyond the arc. The Kings entered the night having gone 1-22 last season when shooting below 30% from three.

They did it again Wednesday.

Darius Acuff Jr. struggled in his NBA debut after showing flashes during the preseason. The seventh-overall pick in June’s NBA Draft finished with 12 points, but shot just 5-for-24 (20%) from the field and missed all seven of his three-point attempts in 34 minutes.

Rookie struggles are going to happen. Acuff is going to have plenty of nights where he can’t find a rhythm.

The problem was that Keegan Murray couldn’t provide much of an alternative.

Darius Acuff Jr. scores his first NBA bucket 👏

Jog.
Hesitate.
Drive.
Finish. https://t.co/4ZKJrbc4V4

— NBA (@NBA) October 22, 2026

Murray finished with just two points on 1-for-8 shooting and missed all four of his three-point attempts. Acuff and Murray, two players who will have to lead this offense (along with Zach LaVine) from the perimeter, combined for 0-for-11 from three.

Dating back to the start of the 2025-26 season, Murray is shooting just 26 percent from beyond the arc, a far cry from his then-record-breaking rookie season that saw him shoot 41 percent on 200-plus attempts.

LaVine was forced to carry much of the offensive burden and did what Sacramento will need him to do throughout the season: shoot the ball without hesitation.

The veteran scorer led the Kings with 28 points on 10-for-19 shooting in his return from the hand injury that cost him much of last season. With Monk out and Acuff struggling in his debut, Sacramento needed LaVine to anchor its offense.

Domantas Sabonis provided one of the few consistent positives.

After playing just 19 games last season because of a meniscus injury, Sabonis looked healthy and active, finishing with 14 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting, 18 rebounds and eight assists.

Emanuel Sharp also gave the Kings a reason to feel good about his NBA debut.

The 45th overall pick made his presence felt immediately with the defensive intensity that turned him into a fan favorite during Summer League and preseason. He finished with five points, two steals and five fouls, making it clear why Doug Christie wants to find a way to get him into the rotation.

But there weren’t enough positives to overcome the bigger problems.

Domas gets above the rim 👏 https://t.co/sq2XAZMrGL

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) October 22, 2026

Sacramento’s rotation is already short without Monk and Simmons, but that can’t be an excuse against a Clippers team missing three of its top rotation pieces.

The Kings were outplayed for most of the night, and once the Clippers punched back in the third quarter, Sacramento had no answer.

The season is only one game old. There is plenty of time for Acuff to find his footing, for Murray to rediscover his offensive game, and for the Kings to get healthy.

But after Wednesday night, the Sacramento Kings have plenty to clean up. And they didn’t exactly make anyone forget about last season.

Sacramento Kings Injury Updates

Malik Monk (ankle) is considered day-to-day.

Maxime Raynaud (right patellar subluxation) will be re-evaluated in one week.

Dylan Cardwell (left calf strain) will be re-evaluated in one week.

Ben Simmons underwent successful surgery to address a torn right Achilles tendon and will miss the entire 2026-27 season.

More Sacramento Kings content from Sactown Sports

• Mark Jones on the Kings’ keys to success in 2026-27
• Sacramento Kings fans rank 6th in Nielsen NBA Fandom Index
• Sacramento Kings announce 2026-27 opening night roster
• Kenny Caraway wants to see an aggressive Zach LaVine

Sacramento Kings 2026-27 Regular Season Schedule

• Friday, October 23rd vs. Portland Trail Blazers (7:00 P.M. PT)
• Sunday, October 25th vs. Memphis Grizzlies (6:00 P.M. PT)
• Tuesday, October 27th @ San Antonio Spurs (5:00 P.M. PT)
• Thursday, October 29th @ New Orleans Pelicans (5:00 P.M. PT)
• Saturday, October 31st @ Memphis Grizzlies (5:00 P.M. PT)

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