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Kings look to stay afloat without Martin

Dec 7, 2007 - 3:09 PM LA Clippers (6-11) at Sacramento (7-10) 10:00 pm EST

SACRAMENTO, California (Ticker) - The Los Angeles Clippers have played all season without their leading scorer from last season. The Sacramento Kings are about to find out if they can as well.

The Kings host the Clippers in a Pacific Division battle on Friday.

Two-time All-Star Elton Brand, who led Los Angeles with 20.5 points per game last season, ruptured his Achilles' over the summer and is out until February. His injury is just one of a few, including Shaun Livingston (knee) and Sam Cassell (calf), that have the Clippers struggling.

Meanwhile, Kevin Martin - who led his team in scoring with 20.2 points per game last season - was off to a great start for the surprising Kings, who have started out 7-3 at home, before he strained his groin in the final minute of the third quarter during a 117-107 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.

He is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with the injury and joins guard Mike Bibby (left thumb) and forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim (right knee) on the bench. In the meantime, Sacramento will need to find a way to replace the scoring punch he provided, as Martin's 24.5 points per game was good for eighth-best in the league.

The injury-plagued Clippers have their own worries, as Wednesday's 95-88 loss to Seattle was their seventh straight setback. It is the franchise's worst slide since an eight-game skid from February 4-23, 2005.