SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ A decade of misery and misfortune ended fittingly with another frustrating loss and hopes for a more prosperous new year.
The Kings began the decade with a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 1, 2010, and ended it with a 105-87 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday at Golden 1 Center.
Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points for the Clippers (24-11). Paul George just missed a triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.
Richaun Holmes had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Kings (12-22), who have lost eight in a row. Buddy Hield had 20 points, six rebounds and five assists for Sacramento, the only team in the NBA that did not reach the playoffs in the 2010s.
"They showed why they're one of the top teams in the league and we've got to learn from it," Kings coach Luke Walton said. "Keep working, build and (have) high expectations for 2020. It's going to be a better year."
The Kings were blown out despite off shooting nights by Leonard and George, who combined to make just 14 of 46 from the field and 4 of 21 from 3-point range.
The Kings have lost 10 in a row against the Clippers dating back to 2017. They haven't beaten them in Sacramento since March 19, 2013, losing 14 in a row to the Clippers at home.
The Kings kept the game close in the first quarter as Leonard and George combined to miss 11 of their first 13 shots. The Clippers took control in the second period, staging an 11-2 run to open up a double-digit lead. Los Angeles led by as many as 18 in the first half and went up by 19 in the third quarter.
The Kings cut the deficit to 11 in the fourth, but they couldn't get any closer.
