The Los Angeles Clippers play host to the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center on Wednesday.

The Kings (8-13) have been showing signs of life since the Luke Walton firing but losing 10 of their last 13 games is still nothing to write home about. The simple fact is, this club has been a disappointment for two decades now, and it seems unlikely that things will get better anytime soon. That's a sad development because this core is littered with supreme talent. Guys like De'Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and Richaun Holmes have all played at All-Star levels over the last two years, and it's a wonder why they can't figure it out. The defense has been a significant reason why though, ranked dead-last in total defense last year and 27th so far this year. If that doesn't improve soon, the record surely won't either.

The Clippers (11-10) had one of the ugliest losses of the season on Monday, being manhandled by a four-win New Orleans Pelicans squad. They trailed by double-digits for the majority of that game, taking a 123-104 defeat. That sort of loss is a microcosm of the recent form, with Los Angeles losing six of their last nine games coming into this matchup. That obviously won't get it done, and it's dropped the Clippers to where they started the year. One has to wonder if there's enough talent around Paul George to avoid a play-in game because guys like Terance Mann, Ivica Zubac and Eric Bledsoe have been way too inconsistent all year.

Los Angeles has absolutely owned this series over recent years, winning 32 of their last 40 games over Sacramento, dating back to 2010. With that said, the Kings won the three-game season series last year.