The Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings played what could be said as the wildest battle in the NBA this 2022-23 season, so much so that both teams made plenty of history in the process.
Sacramento beat their LA rival in a double-overtime game at Crypto.com Arena on Friday, with three players actually breaching the 40-point mark. De'AAron Fox and Malik Monk had 42 and 45 respectively for the Kings, while Kawhi Leonard top-scored for the Clippers with 44.
The 176-175 result is now the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, only trailing the Detroit Pistons-Denver Nuggets showdown in 1983 that ended up in a 186-184 win for the Motor City franchise. The said meeting extended to three overtime, and there's no denying the Clippers-Kings game could have surpassed it if the match further extended to a third OT.
For what it's worth, Monk really played a big role for the Kings in the win. His career-high 45-burger is actually the most points scored by a player off the bench this season. He is also just the second player over the last 10 campaigns to have a 45 point-5 rebound-5 assist game since Jamal Crawford, per Stat Muse.
As for the Clippers, it's quite the disappointing start amid the high expectations put on their new Big 3 with the addition of Russell Westbrook. It should be particularly frustrating for Kawhi Leonard, who actually lost his first game ever when scoring 40 or more points.
It was definitely a roller-coaster of emotions for all players and teams involved. But hey, it was no doubt a fun watch. With the three players scoring 40 points each, the NBA has officially surpassed the 1961-62 season for the year with the most 40-point contests. There are now 143 40-burger games this 2022-23, per ESPN Stats & Info.
What a wild game!
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