GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: LA CLIPPERS (6-11) at SACRAMENTO (7-10)

NBA: LA CLIPPERS (6-11) at SACRAMENTO (7-10)

<h3>Kings look to stay afloat without Martin</h3>

<div class="pre">LA Clippers (6-11) at Sacramento (7-10) 10:00 pm EST</div>

SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) - The Los Angeles Clippers haveplayed all season without their leading scorer from last season.The Sacramento Kings are about to find out if they can aswell.


The Kings host the Clippers in a Pacific Division battle onFriday.


Two-time All-Star Elton Brand, who led Los Angeles with 20.5points per game last season, ruptured his Achilles' over thesummer and is out until February. His injury is just one of afew, including Shaun Livingston (knee) and Sam Cassell (calf),that have the Clippers struggling.


Meanwhile, Kevin Martin - who led his team in scoring with 20.2points per game last season - was off to a great start for thesurprising Kings, who have started out 7-3 at home, before hestrained his groin in the final minute of the third quarterduring a 117-107 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.

He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with the injury and joins guardMike Bibby (left thumb) and forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim (rightknee) on the bench. In the meantime, Sacramento will need tofind a way to replace the scoring punch he provided, as Martin's24.5 points per game was good for eighth-best in the league.

The injury-plagued Clippers have their own worries, asWednesday's 95-88 loss to Seattle was their seventh straightsetback. It is the franchise's worst slide since an eight-gameskid from February 4-23, 2005.

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">LA CLIPPERS VS SACRAMENTO - INACTIVES

LA CLIPPERS SACRAMENTO

PLAYER NAME REASON PLAYER NAME REASON
S CASSELL CALF INJURY M BIBBY THUMB INJURY
E BRAND ACHILLES TENDINITIS E UGBOAJA RIGHT KNEE INJURY
S LIVINGSTON LEFT KNEE INJURY</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 9
SACRAMENTO 8 8:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 18
SACRAMENTO 14 5:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 20
SACRAMENTO 22 3:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 22
SACRAMENTO 28 END, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
LA CLIPPERS 22 22
SACRAMENTO 28 28 END 1ST QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER

LAC - TIM THOMAS 7, CHRIS KAMAN 7, COREY
MAGGETTE 4
SAC - MIKKI MOORE 10, RON ARTEST 6, BENO UDRIH
5</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 28
SACRAMENTO 31 8:57 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 33
SACRAMENTO 41 6:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 38
SACRAMENTO 46 2:54 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 41
SACRAMENTO 52 HALFTIME</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
LA CLIPPERS 22 19 41
SACRAMENTO 28 24 52 HALFTIME

HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME

LAC - TIM THOMAS 11, CHRIS KAMAN 11, COREY
MAGGETTE 5
SAC - RON ARTEST 10, MIKKI MOORE 10, FRANCISCO
GARCIA 8</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 47
SACRAMENTO 55 8:55 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 58
SACRAMENTO 57 5:45 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 62
SACRAMENTO 62 3:05 LEFT, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 71
SACRAMENTO 70 END, 3RD QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
LA CLIPPERS 22 19 30 71
SACRAMENTO 28 24 18 70 END 3RD QTR

HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER

LAC - CHRIS KAMAN 23, TIM THOMAS 14, COREY
MAGGETTE 9
SAC - RON ARTEST 17, MIKKI MOORE 11, BRAD
MILLER 9</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 78
SACRAMENTO 75 8:45 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 86
SACRAMENTO 76 5:50 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at SACRAMENTO

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 90
SACRAMENTO 80 3:05 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>