Bench helps Clippers hang on for 127-118 win over Kings

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lou Williams scored 24 points, Montrezl Harrell added 22 and the Los Angeles Clippers nearly squandered a 27-point lead before holding off the hard-charging Sacramento Kings 127-118 on Wednesday night.




Reserves were the leading scorers for the Clippers even though every Los Angeles starter reached double figures for the first time this season. Tobias Harris had 17 points and Avery Bradley scored 15.






De'Aaron Fox finished with 19 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic had 13 for the Kings. Buddy Hield scored 11, ending his seven-game streak with 20 or more.

Sacramento overcame 19-point deficits to win each of its previous two games. This time, the Kings finally cut a 27-point margin to single digits with just more than three minutes remaining before the Clippers put their regular fourth-quarter lineup back in the game.

Yogi Ferrell's jumper with 2:14 left pulled the Kings to 119-115, but Harrell scored inside on the Clippers' next trip down the floor for the first Los Angeles field goal since Williams hit a 3-pointer with 8:14 to go.

Frank Mason's 3-pointer got the Kings to 121-118 with 1:12 left, but Williams followed with a fadeaway with 42 seconds remaining and the Clippers sealed the game from the free throw line.

Danilo Gallinari had 14 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 12 and Boban Marjanovic added 11 for the Clippers, who have won three of four.

Iman Shumpert scored 12 points for the Kings. Nemanja Bjelica and Willie Cauley-Stein each added 11.

The Clippers opened a 39-27 lead after one quarter and held a comfortable margin until the closing minutes. Harrell had 15 points in just 13 first-half minutes as Los Angeles took a 71-56 lead into halftime.

TIP-INS

Kings: Sacramento opened 0 of 9 from 3-point range and went 1 for 13 in the first half. . The Kings have given up 71 points in the first half to the Clippers in each of the past two games between the teams.

Clippers: Gilgeous-Alexander reached double figures 10:50 into the game after failing to score 10 points in seven of 13 games this month. . Williams played 22 minutes despite residual swelling in his left eyelid after he was injured Sunday against the Warriors.

UP NEXT

Kings: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

Clippers: At the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.