The Clippers have a tough contest against the surging Orlando Magic as they reach the middle of their seven-game road trip.
Game Information
Where: Kia Center, Orlando, FL
When: 4:00 PM PT
How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570
Projected Starting Lineups
Clippers: James Harden – Kris Dunn – Kobe Sanders – John Collins – Ivica Zubac
Magic: Jalen Suggs – Desmond Bane – Tristan da Silva – Franz Wagner – Wendell Carter Jr.
Injuries
Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Out (Ankle), Bradley Beal Out (Hip), Derrick Jones Jr. Out (Knee), Jordan Miller Out (Hamstring)
Magic: Paolo Banchero Out (Groin), Mo Wagner Out (Knee)
The Big Picture
The Clippers have upgraded their level of play over the past five games or so, moving from terms like “hideous”, “shameful”, and “embarrassing” all the way up to “frustrating”, “disappointing”, and “try-hard”. In that stretch, they have the 19th ranked offense and 20th ranked defense – not good, but a marked improvement from the 22nd and 27th ranked units they were at certain points. Effort goes a long way, and the Clippers are playing hard as well as more synchronously than they were a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, they are now so short on talent that said play is not really resulting in wins, but losing on two buzzer beaters on the road to competent teams are as close to moral victories as you get in the NBA. In short, things aren’t good, but they are looking up a bit.
The Antagonist
The Magic are in a similar boat. They started the year slowly as well, but have been able to turn things around. Unlike the Clippers, their turnaround is resulting in actual wins, as the Magic have climbed above .500 for the first time this year. The Magic’s defense, which like the Clippers’ was in disarray, has moved into 13th, and they rank 4th in defensive rating in the past five games. The Magic’s offense is still not great, but Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and at least some shooting has been enough to keep them afloat. The Magic are not fun to play due to their hard-nosed defense, but they play a style that should allow the Clippers to remain attached.
Notes
Kobe Sanders, Starter: Kobe Sanders’ rise has been meteoric, at least for Clippers’ fans. A second round rookie that seemed to be buried deep on the Clippers’ depth chart, Kobe moved into the rotation a few games ago, played well, and then started against the Sixers last game, turning in his best performance of the season. Kobe’s poise, ballhandling, and passing were all somewhat expected based on his college tape; what has been surprising has been his three-point shooting, which has come at decent volume and looked quite confident. There will be troughs, but Kobe seems to have won the trust of the coaching staff, and with Beal out for the year and DJJ out for at least 6 weeks, he will probably get an extended leash in the rotation. He’s already looked the best of any Clippers’ rookie since Terance Mann all the way back in 2019-2020, and if he keeps playing like this, he will surge beyond that.
Guarding Franz: Franz Wagner is a very difficult cover as a large forward that is quick off the dribble and can bully smaller defenders with his size. The two Clippers best suited to cover him, Kawhi Leonard and Derrick Jones Jr., are out, and a third (Nic Batum) comes off the bench. Kris Dunn normally covers the opposing team’s best perimeter defender, and I’m sure he’ll get a crack at Franz, but I do wonder if we see John Collins or Kobe Sanders get extended looks on Franz as well. Collins has been mostly bad on the perimeter this year, but he can match Franz better in terms of size and strength. Sanders has had issues off-ball, but has looked decent on-ball, and Franz would be a nice test for the youngster. I’m curious to see what the Clippers do against the Magic’s best player.
