2 Takeaways Following Kings 109-95 Win Over Clippers

The Kings dominated the Clippers, but how is the rest of their season looking?

Apr 2, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) shoots the ball over Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1). / Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

The Sacramento Kings have seven games remaining in their regular season, and many fans have freaked out due to Kevin Huerter being ruled out for the remainder of the year and Malik Monk being sidelined for four to six weeks. After Tuesday's 109-95 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, the Kings are 2-0 since Monk's injury and have momentum going into a vital road trip.

The Kings dominated the Clippers, led by star big man Domantas Sabonis with 22 points, 20 rebounds, and 9 assists. Sacramento outperformed expectations against a talented Los Angeles squad, as here are two takeaways from Tuesday night's win:

Sacramento's bench is coming to life

Monk's MCL sprain had many Kings fans worried about what would happen to Sacramento's bench depth, as Monk is the runaway favorite to win NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Tuesday night, the Kings proved they could put out a productive bench unit without Monk, and they did it incredibly.

Sacramento's backup point guard, Davion Mitchell, has had his fair share of struggles this season, but the 25-year-old has come to life recently. Mitchell posted 14 points in 25 minutes, giving the Kings a much-needed backup guard presence without Monk.

The Kings' backup frontcourt has been skeptical all season long, but it is quickly turning into one of the best backup big men tandems in the league. Trey Lyles' return from injury has not been talked about enough, as in just two games back on the court he has scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds while knocking down six threes.

Lyles and backup center Alex Len have been phenomenal, as Len posted four points, seven rebounds, and three blocks in just 12 minutes of action on Tuesday. While Len sees limited minutes, the ten-year veteran makes his presence known when he is in the game. Len has emerged as one of the league's best defensive backup big men, which is exactly what this Sacramento squad needs.

The Kings can escape the play-in tournament

After Huerter and Monk went down with injuries, Sacramento's hope of escaping the play-in tournament began to fade. But, after Tuesday's win, Kings fans can start dreaming of a top-six seed once again.

The Kings sit in seventh place in the West, just one game behind the fifth-place Dallas Mavericks and sixth-place New Orleans Pelicans, but are tied with the eighth-place Phoenix Suns. With the Western Conference playoff race this tight, anything can happen with less than two weeks remaining, and the Kings should do all they can to get out of the play-in tournament.

The Kings have a tough remaining schedule, with their four-game road trip consisting of stops to the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, and Oklahoma City Thunder. If the Kings close out their season strong, they are a serious threat to steal a top-six seed from the Pelicans or Mavericks.

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