LA Clippers v Sacramento 121-96: Darius Garland scores 30

Garland's efficient night inside the arc, backed by a productive bench, gave the LA Clippers a 25-point opening win over the Sacramento Kings.

How Darius Garland scored 30 against Sacramento

Darius Garland decided it with 30 points in 32 minutes, outscoring Zach LaVine's 28 as the LA Clippers beat Sacramento 121-96. His base was built inside the arc.

He went 8/11 on two-pointers, which gave him a reliable platform before his outside shots fell. He added 3/8 from three and 5/8 at the free-throw line to reach 30.

Garland was a scorer first on this night, with 4 assists, 1 rebound and 1 steal against 3 turnovers. That added up to a PIR of 21, a solid return for a player whose job was to put the ball in the basket.

How did the Clippers build a 25-point win over the Kings?

The Clippers won the game in the first and third quarters, taking them 41-29 and 32-16. Sacramento's only winning quarter was the second, which they edged 25-20.

That third quarter settled the contest, and the fourth finished 28-26 to protect the 25-point margin. Garland's scoring set the tone, while the bench gave the Clippers depth.

Brook Lopez came off the bench for 17 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 6/9 on two-pointers; he ranked 180th in the league by TeamKeys Rating last season. Keaton Wagler added 15 points, 5 assists and 3/6 from three, while Kris Dunn contributed 7 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.

Sabonis and LaVine: was Sacramento's response enough?

Sacramento had two strong individual performances, but neither could match the Clippers' collective output. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine carried most of the load.

Sabonis finished with 14 points, 18 rebounds and 8 assists, shooting 5/5 on two-pointers and 4/4 from the line for a PIR of 35. LaVine scored 28 on 7/11 twos, matching Garland's 3/8 from three and 5/8 at the line, though with 4 turnovers.

Precious Achiuwa gave 15 points off the bench, and he ranked 99th in the league by TeamKeys Rating last season. Without more support around that trio, the Kings struggled to keep pace in the decisive quarters.

Best players of the game
Player	Points	PIR
Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento)	14	35
Brook Lopez (LA Clippers)	17	22
Darius Garland (LA Clippers)	30	21
Keaton Wagler (LA Clippers)	15	19
Zach LaVine (Sacramento)	28	18
Precious Achiuwa (Sacramento)	15	18

Source: TeamKeys, NBA 2026-10-21. PIR: performance index rating.

Clippers v Lakers next: what the result means for the NBA table

The win puts the LA Clippers fourth of 30 at 1-0, level on record with Toronto, Portland and Minnesota above them. Sacramento sit 28th at 0-1.

Both teams return on 24 October 2026, when the Clippers face the Los Angeles Lakers. Garland's scoring inside the arc will be a key point to watch in that game.

Sacramento meet the Portland Trail Blazers, who are also 1-0 after round 1. The Kings will need more than Sabonis and LaVine to open their record.

All figures come from the official box score of LA Clippers v Sacramento, NBA regular season round 1, played on 21 October 2026.

Questions people ask

What was the final score of LA Clippers v Sacramento?

The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Sacramento Kings 121-96 on 21 October 2026, in round 1 of the NBA regular season. The Clippers took the first quarter 41-29 and the third 32-16 on their way to a 25-point margin.

How many points did Darius Garland score against Sacramento?

Darius Garland scored 30 points in 32 minutes for the LA Clippers in the 121-96 win over Sacramento. He shot 8/11 on two-pointers, 3/8 from three and 5/8 from the free-throw line, adding 4 assists for a PIR of 21.

When do the Clippers and the Kings play next?

Both teams play again on 24 October 2026. The LA Clippers, fourth of 30 at 1-0, face the Los Angeles Lakers, while the Sacramento Kings, 28th at 0-1 after the opening round, meet the Portland Trail Blazers.

Darius Garland scores 30 as the Clippers beat Sacramento 121-96