This Saturday, the Kings and Clippers wrote a new page in the NBA’s history books, becoming only the second time that two teams both score at least 170 points in the league’s 76 years. Last time it happened was back in 1983, when the Pistons defeated the Nuggets 186 to 184 in triple overtime, holding the record for most points ever in a single match.
An NBA squad has scored 170 points or more in a regular-season contest only seven times before. As for Sacramento, the team is now third on the scoring list with their 176-point show; the Clippers are fourth.
In press conference, Kings coach Mike Brown had plenty to say about the game, starting by stating that he wishes he could’ve relished being a part of the second-highest-scoring game in NBA history. To everyone’s surprise, the trainer was only truly happy about their hard-fought triumph, but hopes these kinds are games won’t become the norm in modern basketball.
“From a fan’s standpoint, I can see how this game would have been a lot of fun to watch,” Brown told reporters after the game. “There was unbelievable shot-making and great defense. There was high-level talent that was on display. Kudos to the players.”
However, coach Brown joked about suffering too much after two overtimes against the Clippers. But beneath it all, we can’t help but think he’s a romantic and doesn’t enjoy this new era of the sport, where most offensive plays are protected by officials and team’s depend on three-point shooters to win games.
Watch how the head coach talks about hoping not to have to take too many aspirins if games keep having this amount of scoring:
Do NBA viewers need to get used to games with scores in the 170s?
Kings coach Mike Brown: “I hope not. I take a baby aspirin daily. I hope not, because then I’d have to go to two baby aspirins.” pic.twitter.com/KdvbdVtamm
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 25, 2023
Some of his palyers also produced career-best stats, just like Malik Monk dropped 45 points in a game for the first time as a professional. De’Aaron Fox, on the other hand, scored 42 in total, but his best was the last basket he hit to win the game against the Los Angeles side by a 1-point margin.
Coming back from being 14 points behind at some point, the Kings found the will to recover late in the fourth quarter. “We just stuck with it. We got down 12 at one point but just had our heads up. We knew they were going to let us back in,” Monk said.
As for the Clippers team, Kawhi Leonard dropped a season-high 44 points for Los Angeles and Paul George added 34 to his tally. “I thought he did a great job getting to a spot with the 3-point shots and attacking the basket,” coach Tyronn Lue said about Leonard.
Record after record, after record!
This game was nuts! The records just keep pouring. Both squads combined for 44 three-pointers during the clash, tying for the most in a single match in the league’s history. Also, their efficiency combined marked 58% success from field goal attempts, as for 80% from free-throws.
“I thought was a great game. A lot of momentum shifts,” Clippers trainer Lue said.
Watch the highlights of the two overtime endings in this Saturday’s Western Conference clash:
It was the first time in franchise history the Kings have had two players score at least 40 points in a game. Also, Fox produced 12 assists and 5 steals, becoming just the 12th player since the 1973-74 campaign with 40 points, 10 assists and five steals in a game, James Harden being the last one to do it in 2019.
