Exploring the Entertaining Clippers vs. Kings Basketball Rivalry

When Do the Sacramento Kings and LA Clippers Play Next?

Sacramento Kings tickets and LA Clippers tickets can be found on their respective team pages, along with schedule information.

Are the Sacramento Kings and the LA Clippers Rivals?

Yes, the Sacramento Kings are rivals with the LA Clippers. The Kings and the Clippers have both been in the NBA’s Pacific Division since 1988, leading to several high-intensity games every season.

Who Are the Sacramento Kings’ Biggest Rivals?

Along with the LA Clippers, the Sacramento Kings’ biggest rivals are the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. The Kings also have a strong rivalry with the Golden State Warriors due to their close geographical proximity, as well as the Warriors and Kings both being in the Pacific Division of the NBA.

Who Are the LA Clippers’ Biggest Rivals?

Besides the Sacramento Kings, the LA Clippers have a fierce rivalry with recent NBA Playoff opponents the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies. The LA Clippers also have a rivalry with fellow California-based NBA teams, the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.

Game Results Between the Kings & Clippers

Both located in California and being in the NBA’s Pacific Division, the Sacramento Kings and LA Clippers constantly compete for interstate and interdivisional dominance. Check out a table of recent head-to-head matchups between the Kings and Clippers below.

Sacramento Kings vs. LA Clippers History

The current Sacramento Kings vs. LA Clippers rivalry began in 1985, when the Kings moved to Sacramento to join the California-based LA Clippers. The Sacramento Kings were then placed in the NBA’s Pacific Division with the Clippers in 1988. The first game between these rivals happened when the LA Clippers joined the NBA in 1970 as part of the 1970 NBA expansion. The Clippers (then known as the Buffalo Braves) were defeated by the Kings (then known as the Cincinnati Royals) in their first four contests against each other.

Both teams were constantly moved around the country throughout their history. The Sacramento Kings (Cincinnati Royals) were relocated and rebranded as the Kansas City-Omaha Kings during the 1972-73 season. They were again rebranded as the Kansas City Kings for the 1975-76 season. The LA Clippers (Buffalo Braves) were relocated and rebranded as the San Diego Clippers for the 1978-79 season and again relocated to LA during the 1984-85 season.

Though the Clippers and Kings moved around, they still had constant battles against each other during the period between 1970-1985. The teams were so evenly matched during this era, the longest win streak by either team was a mere five consecutive wins by the Sacramento Kings (Kansas City Kings) between 1982-1983.

The Clippers then broke the rivalry record win streak with six consecutive wins against the Kings between 1985-1986. Evenly matched for the next 18 years, the Sacramento Kings became the first team of the two to sweep the other in a season during this era, in the 2003-04 season, the first time either team did this since the Kings swept the Clippers during that 1985-86 season.

The Kings went on to sweep the Clippers in the next two seasons, winning 14 straight between 2003-2006. This was the largest win streak by either team throughout their history of competing. The Clippers made a come-back and swept the Kings in the 2011-12, 2013-14, 2017-18 and the 2018-19 seasons, winning 10 straight games between 2017-2019.

One of the most memorable games between these teams happened on February 24, 2023 when the Kings defeated the Clippers 176-175 in double overtime. This was the second-highest scoring NBA game in history, only behind the 1983 Detroit Pistons’ win over the Denver Nuggets of 186-184.

Although these teams have never met in the playoffs, they have still played a total of 225 games against each other, with the Kings holding the advantage in the rivalry with 122 wins over the Clippers 103 wins.

Where Do the LA Clippers and Sacramento Kings Play?

The LA Clippers play their home games at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. Located in downtown Los Angeles, Crypto.com Arena is also home to the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.

The Sacramento Kings play their home games at Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento, California. The Sacramento Kings have called Golden 1 Center their home stadium since it opened in 2016.