(Sports Network) - The Sacramento Kings head south on Saturday night to visit
Staples Center and take on the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers got a welcome addition on Wednesday night when guard Chauncey
Billups returned to the lineup. Billups, who tore his Achilles in the winter,
started and had only seven points on 1-for-5 shooting in just under 20
minutes, but it was a boost for the Clips.
"I was just so excited to be back out there," Billups said. "It's been such a
long road back. Honestly I've only played full court about three times since
the injury. Knowing that, I've tried to be patient with myself and know that
it's going to take a little while. Just to be out there was great."
The Clippers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 101-95 victory, at home,
over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Billups' backcourt mate, Chris Paul, led the way with 23 points and 11
assists. Blake Griffin added 18 points and DeAndre Jordan, Jamal Crawford and
Matt Barnes also scored in double-digits.
It wasn't a pristine victory by any means. The Clippers shot 21 percent from
the 3-point line and committed 25 fouls.
Sacramento has lost two in a row and eight of its last 10 games, including
Friday's 97-92 loss to Indiana in the finale of a three-game homestand (1-2).
DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings with 19 points and 16 rebounds -- his fourth
double-double of the season. Tyreke Evans did not play because of a bruised
knee and Marcus Thornton did his best to make up for the loss, scoring 15
points. Thornton missed a 3-pointer in the waning seconds that would have tied
the game.
"I just missed it," Thornton said of his final shot. "It felt good going up, I
just missed the shot."
Jimmer Fredette and Francisco Garcia contributed 12 points apiece for
Sacramento, which has the worst mark in the West at 4-11. Evans is listed as
questionable for Saturday.
The Kings are 0-5 on the road this season and will play five of the next seven
games away from California's capital. They are ranked second in the NBA in
points in the paint, averaging 46.4 ppg.
Sacramento was swept in three games by the Clippers last season and has lost
six of the last seven in this series. The Kings are losers of three straight
and seven of nine at the Clippers.
The Sports Network