The Los Angeles Clippers take on the Sacramento Kings at 7.30 pm PT on Wednesday in their first game of the season. Clippers fans have been desperately waiting for the season to start so that they can officially leave the Kawhi Leonard and cap circumvention saga behind them. Focusing on the team and the season at hand will hopefully wash the bad taste this offseason left in the fanbase's mouth.
The Clippers have an excellent opportunity to get off to a good start. They will be facing arguably the worst team in the Western Conference and are heavily favored.
But it won't be easy. The Clippers are already dealing with several significant injuries to key players.
Clippers Injuries Give Depth Pieces an Opportunity to Prove Themselves
LA will be without Bradley Beal (knee injury management), Brandon Ingram (right heel surgery), Jordan Miller (rotator cuff surgery), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Lisfranc surgery recovery), and Max Strus (plantar fascia tear) in the season opener.
This leaves the Clippers with several holes. Without Niederhauser, the Clippers only have Brook Lopez and Isaiah Jackson in the center rotation. Jackson is expected to get the start.
Without Beal, Strus, and Ingram available for the game, the Clippers don't have too many options on the perimeter, either. Kris Dunn and Derrick Jones Jr. will likely get the start at the two and the three, while Keaton Wagler and Kobe Sanders will get significant minutes off the bench. Gradey Dick will also get a chance to establish himself in the rotation amid the injury absences.
Ty Lue may also dig deep into his bench and give two-way players an opportunity. Jalen Pickett, Cam Christie, and Nick Martinelli, who will otherwise spend most of their time in the G League, could see some action against Sacramento.
This puts a lot of pressure on Darius Garland. Ingram and Beal are arguably the two best shot creators on the team besides Garland. Without them, Garland will have a lot of playmaking responsibility. How many minutes he can play and how effective he can be will likely be the deciding factor.
The Kings have their own injury concerns. Their center depth is already tested, as Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell are sidelined to begin the season. Domantas Sabonis will play as many minutes as he can handle, and Precious Achiuwa will get a bump in his playing time.
In addition, Ben Simmons just tore his Achilles and will miss the season. Malik Monk is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. The Kings are projected to start Darius Acuff Jr., Zach LaVine, De'Andre Hunter, Keegan Murray, and Sabonis against the Clippers.
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