Kings F Clifford Leads All Scorers in 127-103 Preseason Defeat

Although the overall score got out of hand for the Sacramento Kings in their preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, the front office has to be feeling good about the offensive showings from their young talent.

Darius Acuff Jr., the team's top draft pick, scored 19 points, while looking effective and efficient from multiple levels.

But it was second-year forward Nique Clifford who really stole the show, scoring a game-high 23 points.

Clifford, who entered the game off the bench, had a slow start, scoring just six points in the first half.

But, the former Colorado State standout found his groove late in the third quarter, getting to the free-throw line and capitalizing on inside finishes.

Getting to the charity stripe was a big part of Clifford's success, as he forced the action and earned ten foul shots. He only made six, but this aggressiveness is promising.

Clifford also hauled in nine rebounds, trailing backup big man Dylan Cardwell for the team-lead (10).

Heading into the regular season, having Clifford displaying this type of versatility is exactly what the team is looking for, as he projects to have a big role off of Sacramento's bench.

Overall, Clifford posted averages of 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, appearing in 75 games during his rookie campaign.

But, his production really stepped up towards the end of the season, averaging 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in his final 28 appearances.

Defensively, Clifford took a large jump, as he began to utilize his length and make opposing players uncomfortable.

In Clifford's first 15 games following the NBA All-Star Break, he recorded two or more steals in nine of them, including a six-steal performance against the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 23. 

Clifford filled up the stat sheet with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists, while adding his career-high six takeaways. 

The former Colorado State standout's impressive stat line made him just the fourth Sacramento Kings rookie in the Sacramento era (1985-present) to record 10-5-5-5 in a single game and the first since DeMarcus Cousins in 2011, according to SacTown Sports.

This defensive intensity was on full display at the Summer League as well, as Clifford frequently matched up against opponent's top wing players.

In the Kings' opening win in California, Clifford sealed the 79-76 win over the Brooklyn Nets with a go-ahead 3-pointer.

Clifford, who had struggled from the field leading up to that shot, talked about staying locked in down the stretch.

"I stay ready... Clifford told media after the game winner. "He [Darius Acuff Jr.] trusted in me, passed it to me, and I made a play."

With Acuff anchoring a lot of the ball-handling responsibilities, having he and Clifford on the same page is important.

Sacramento matches back up with the Lakers on Thursday at 10:30 p.m.