Clippers vs Kings Prediction 3/9/25 NBA Picks Today

The Sacramento Kings are starting to heat up again as they have won five of their last six games overall and they will be eager to stay hot after blowing past the struggling Spurs in a 127-109 home win on Friday. Zach LaVine drained seven 3-pointers to lead the way with 36 points on 14 of 22 shooting, DeMar DeRozan added 22 points with nine rebounds and seven assists while Jonas Valanciunas chipped in with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists on seven of eight shooting. As a team, the Kings shot 51 percent from the field and 17 of 38 from the 3-point line as they took control of the contest with a 36-16 second-quarter domination to take a 14-point lead into halftime. Before they poured in another 39 points in the third quarter to lead by as many as 27 points.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers look to have moved on from their slump as they are now aiming for a third straight victory after taking down the Knicks in a 105-95 home win on Friday. James Harden led the team with 27 points and seven assists, Kawhi Leonard added 20 points with seven rebounds and six assists while Ivica Zubac chipped in with 16 points, 14 rebounds, and three assists. As a team, the Clippers shot 42 percent from the field and 15 of 38 from the 3-point line as they battled with the shorthanded Knicks in a close contest, until they opened the fourth quarter on a 15-7 run to start to pull away. The Clippers will meet the Pelicans after this game.

Why the Los Angeles Clippers will win

• The Clippers have won each of their last nine night games against the Kings following a home win.
• The Kings have lost five of their last six games against Pacific Division opponents that held a winning record.
• The home team has covered the spread in each of the Clippers’ last 12 games.
• The Kings have failed to cover the spread in six of their last seven games against Pacific Division opponents.

Why the Sacramento Kings will win

• The Clippers have lost each of their last four games as favorites against Pacific Division opponents.
• The Kings have won each of their last four games as underdogs against Pacific Division opponents following a win.
• The Kings have covered the spread in each of their last six games.
• The Clippers have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine games as home favorites against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Clippers rank 2nd in the league for opponent offensive rebounds per game this season (10.0).
• The Clippers rank 2nd in the league for Q2 opponent points per game this season (26.8).
• The Kings rank 29th in the league for opponent three-point percentage this season (37.4%).
• The Kings rank 2nd in the league for free throw percentage this season (80.7%).

The Kings are still shorthanded with Domantas Sabonis ruled and Malik Monk both out again, while the Clippers are still missing Norman Powell and Ben Simmons. The Kings come into this meeting as the team in better form, but they are still missing Sabonis which is partly why they’ve opened as underdogs in this one. The Clippers were good enough to get past the Knicks in their last outing, but to be fair, the Knicks are much easier to defend with Jalen Brunson sitting out injured. With that being said, I am leaning towards the more consistent Kings to get the cover in a game they could win outright.

Peter Tran's Free Pick: Sacramento +6.5

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