Kings at Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are ending their regular season with a flourish and have a chance to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs when they host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday in the finale for both teams. The Clippers have won six in a row - one shy of their season high - and can clinch the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a win over the Kings or a loss by Utah, which is hosting San Antonio on Wednesday.
"Our destiny is in our hands," Clippers center DeAndre Jordan told reporters after Monday's 125-96 home win over Houston. Los Angeles has scored at least 112 points five times during its six-game winning streak, although the run began after one of the team's worst losses of the season. When playing the Kings at home on March 26, the Clippers blew an 18-point, fourth-quarter advantage before falling 98-97 - their second straight setback to Sacramento at Staples Center. Including that result - as well as Tuesday's 129-104 rout of Phoenix in their final home game - the Kings are a respectable 5-4 in their last nine.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, CSN California (Sacramento), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE KINGS (32-49): Rookie Buddy Hield broke out for a personal-best 30 points and six assists in the win over Phoenix, while veteran guard Ty Lawson recorded his first career triple-double with 22 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds. They were two of the eight players to score in double figures as Sacramento had its best offensive output this season. Guards Tyreke Evans and Arron Afflalo, as well as center Kosta Koufos, sat out Tuesday's contest to rest.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (50-31): Injuries and inconsistency hurt Los Angeles at times this season, but the team - now healthy - has been clicking on all cylinders of late. "When you have as many injuries as we did, the ups and downs of the season, the length of the season, we went through a lot of adversity," forward Blake Griffin told reporters. "I think when you go through it, you always say, 'When we come out on the other side, we'll be better for it.' But I truly believe we are." Jordan has recorded four double-doubles in as many games this month while making 22-of-28 shots, and Griffin is averaging 26.8 points on 61.7 percent shooting over a six-game span.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Clippers G Austin Rivers (hamstring) has missed five straight games and is not expected back until the playoffs.
2. Hield is 16-of-34 from 3-point range this month.
3. Los Angeles PG Chris Paul recorded 19 points, nine assists and four steals in the win over Houston.