The Los Angeles Clippers made a loud statement to start the 2026-2027 NBA season, and the night wasn’t just about the scoreboard. While the team rolled past the Sacramento Kings, a cameraman inside the Intuit Dome ended up putting a spotlight on one fan who briefly became the center of attention.
During crowd shots, the cameraman landed on a blonde woman in the stands wearing a tight white shirt and blue jeans. She was holding a clapper and started prancing once she noticed herself on the Jumbotron.
The camera stayed with her for nine seconds before moving away, and the moment immediately brought to mind the kind of in-game fan closeups people usually associate with college football broadcasts. It also made it clear that social media may not take long to turn the Clippers fan into a viral name.
On the floor, Los Angeles handled business from the jump. The Clippers never trailed in a 121-96 win over Sacramento on Wednesday night, with Darius Garland leading the way with 30 points.
Brook Lopez gave the second unit a major lift with 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench, while Keaton Wagler added 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Rui Hachimura chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds in his debut.
The victory also carried some added significance. It was the Clippers’ first season opener without Kawhi Leonard since 2019. Even so, the night belonged to a team performance, with Los Angeles’ bench outscoring Sacramento’s reserves 53-34 on a strong opening-night showing.
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Dallas looks like a particularly clean fit because of its open two-way spot and the familiarity it already has with Clayton, but Sacramento is in the mix as well. For a player weighing playing time against long-term fit, that kind of choice can matter a lot, and the next step will come down to where he sees the clearest path to minutes and development. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Already Have A Brutal Opening Night Problem
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Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell, Precious Achiuwa, Malik Monk and Keegan Murray are all among the names on the injury report in one form or another, and that kind of uncertainty puts real pressure on a team that was counting on depth to carry it through the long haul. For Sacramento, the concern is not just who misses opening night, but how much of the rotation might already be compromised before the first game is even played. [Read more 🡒]
Mark Jones Sees One Big Question Hanging Over The Kings Core
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Jones also made clear that Domantas Sabonis remains central to everything Sacramento wants to do, with his health and productivity looming as major factors. The larger question, from Jones view, is how those pieces mesh and whether their development and fit can lift the Kings to the level they want to reach this season. [Read more 🡒]