The Clippers will be back home for a couple games to try to get back on track, and first up will play a Milwaukee Bucks team that already has its eyes on the summer.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 7:30 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal,  AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Bucks: Ryan Rollins – AJ Green – Taurean Prince – Ousmane Dieng – Myles Turner

Clippers: Darius Garland – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – John Collins – Brook Lopez

Injuries

Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo Doubtful (Knee), Kevin Porter Jr. Questionable (Knee), Bobby Portis Questionable (Ribs), Gary Harris Questionable (Groin), Kyle Kuzma Questionable (Achilles)

Clippers: Bennedict Mathurin Questionable (Toe), Yanic Konan Niederhauser Out (Foot), Bradley Beal Out (Hip)

The Big Picture

The Clippers got a much, much needed win on Saturday night, breaking a four-game losing streak in a hard-fought overtime victory over the Mavericks. However, while wins are the most important stat for the Clippers right now, it’s hard not to be concerned with the Clippers’ defense, which has slumped in a massive way in recent weeks and was pummeled by the Mavs. The Clippers’ offense remains effective, especially when Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard are both on the floor, but slippage on defense from John Collins and Brook Lopez is killing the team. The Clippers have 11 games to try to get their defense back into shape, or their postseason run (they are one win away from clinching a play-in spot) will be very short-lived.

The Antagonist

The Bucks have not been completely eliminated from the postseason race, but they have more or less thrown in the towel. Reports came out last week that the Bucks want to shut Giannis down for the rest of the season, and that Giannis is resisting because he wants to play if he feels up to it. My guess would be the Bucks get their way, and Giannis doesn’t play again this year. It is very possible he has already played his last game in a Bucks uniform. The Bucks have had small stretches of competence this year without Giannis, but they’ve been mostly bad all season regardless of who plays. Ryan Rollins has been the brightest spot on the team, as the 23-year-old guard has cemented himself as a starting level player on an extremely cheap contract. Outside of that, Ousmane Dieng has had some nice moments and Kevin Porter Jr. has been effective when healthy, but it’s pretty slim pickings. This is a game the Clippers need to win.

Notes

Mathurin’s Status: Benn Mathurin missed the Clippers’ last three games with a toe injury, and it’s unclear if he’ll play tonight. The Clippers only really missed his scoring in the game when Kawhi and Darius also didn’t play – their issues recently have been on defense. Still, while he’s immensely frustrating, Mathurin will help this team down this final stretch of the season if he’s healthy. Hopefully he returns to the lineup soon to help close out the year. If nothing else, the Clippers getting more of a sample on his play in their uniform will inform their decision-making on what kind of a contract to offer him (or not offer him) this summer.

Clippers vs Bucks Preview: Home Again
Robert Flom

The Clippers have lost four games in a row to mark their worst stretch in several months, and will try to turn things around on the road against a tanking Mavs squad.

Game Information

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

When: 5:30 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, KTLA, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Darius Garland – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – John Collins – Brook Lopez

Mavericks: Ryan Nembhard – Max Christie – Naji Marshall – PJ Washington – Cooper Flagg

Injuries

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Questionable (Ankle), Bennedict Mathurin Out (Toe), Yanic Konan Niederhauser Out (Foot), Bradley Beal Out (Hip)

Mavericks: Kyrie Irving Out (Knee), Dereck Lively Out (Foot), Brandon Williams Out (Concussion), Caleb Martin Questionable (Heel)

The Big Picture

The Clippers have lost four games in a row, which dropped them from a comfortable lead over the Portland Trailblazers and Golden State Warriors in the 8^th seed into a neck-and-neck heat as well reach the final stretch of the season. The Clippers have been shorthanded for this slide, and have played a very intense March schedule with a lot of games and no rest, but their slippage on defense in particular has been ugly to watch, a reminder of their awful play to start the season. The Clippers need to turn things around, and fast, if they’re going to keep the 8 seed – all hopes of getting up to 7 are gone at this point.

The Antagonist

The Mavs have lost two games in a row and are 2-8 in their last 10 games, as they’ve plummeted down the standings in the past few months to end in 13^th in the West (they will not be able to catch Utah or Sacramento in the tank race). Interestingly, unlike some other tanking teams, the Mavs are still playing a bunch of their “real” players, with their starting lineup being composed of guys who would actually play if they were trying to win games. The lack of a starting point guard and injuries to their big man corps are the primary reasons the Mavs are bad; their wing and forward rotation is actually quite good. In short, while they’re tanking and losing games, the Mavs are still relatively talented and frisky, so the Clippers can’t just assume a win.

Notes

Brook Lopez, Slumping: After being a huge part of the Clippers’ turnaround, Brook Lopez has stumbled a bit the past couple weeks. As the oldest player on the team and one of the oldest in the league, all of the minutes Brook has logged (he’s been remarkably healthy all season) in this compact March schedule seem to have taken a toll. In the past six games Brook is only 3-14 from three, with both the accuracy and volume being well below where he’s been most of the season. While Isaiah Jackson has been solid off the bench, the Clippers need Brook to get back on track to close the season, as he both helps space the floor on offense and plugs up gaps on defense with his rim protection. Hopefully as the schedule eases up slightly Brook’s play ticks back up.

Clippers vs Mavericks Preview: Trying to Stop the Slide
Robert Flom

The Clippers play tonight in New Orleans just 24 hours after blowing an 18-point lead to the Pelicans in dismal fashion, and will likely be down multiple key players.

Game Information

Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

When: 5:00 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Kris Dunn – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – John Collins – Brook Lopez

Pelicans: Dejounte Murray – Herb Jones – Trey Murphy III – Saddiq Bey – Zion Williamson

Injuries

Clippers: Darius Garland Questionable (Injury Management), Kawhi Leonard Questionable (Ankle), Bennedict Mathurin Out (Toe), Yanic Konan Niederhauser Out (Foot), Bradley Beal Out (Hip)

Pelicans: None

Notes

After an incredible first quarter, the Clippers fell apart on both ends of the court last night to mark their third loss in a row. The NBA season is full of ups and downs, and after several months of fairly sustained excellence, it makes sense that the Clippers were going to swoon at some point. The hope is that they can stay afloat in that 8 seed, and correct their play in time for a postseason push.

Clippers vs Pelicans Game Thread: Here We Go Again
Robert Flom

After being mostly healthy for a game or two, the Clippers are suddenly rather beat up again as the head down the stretch of the 2026 season.

Game Information

Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

When: 5:00 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Darius Garland – Kris Dunn – Derrick Jones Jr. – John Collins – Brook Lopez

Pelicans: Dejounte Murray – Herb Jones – Saddiq Bey – Trey Murphy III – Zion Williamson

Injuries

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Questionable (Ankle), Darius Garland Questionable (Injury Management), Bennedict Mathurin Out (Toe), Yanic Konan Niederhauser Out (Foot), Bradley Beal Out (Hip)

Pelicans: Dejounte Murray Questionable (Illness),Bryce McGowens Out (Toe)

The Big Picture

The Clippers dropped their second game in a row on Monday night, but this loss – to an excellent Spurs team without Kawhi Leonard – was quite understandable. The Clippers in general have looked very good when Kawhi has played at the otherworldly level he’s mostly occupied since late December, and extremely beatable on the nights he has not. Thus, it’s hard to have a ton of faith in them winning any game on the road without Kawhi, even against a Pelicans team that is just 23-46. Plenty of other Clippers are playing well, and they certainly have a chance tonight, but the confidence level is just not the same.

The Antagonist

The Pelicans have strung together some better play over the past month since Dejounte Murray has returned, but it’s hard to take much away from “Mickey Mouse March” when the Pelicans’ season was over in December. The Pelicans, as always, have a lot of talent, and for once that talent is pretty healthy, which is translating to wins. The good news for the Pels is that as they continue to win and the other worst teams in the NBA continue to lose, they will keep moving up in the standings and forfeit what will probably be a good pick to the Hawks in this draft instead of an incredible one. The bad news is that in order to win games the Pelicans have pushed both of their prized rookies, Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, to the bench. Zion Williamson and Queen are not a good fit, and with the Pelicans trying to win it made sense to bench the rook, but it still doesn’t portend great.

Notes

Mathurin Out: Bennedict Mathurin was unexpectedly ruled out of not just tonight’s game but Thursday and Saturday’s as well with soreness in his big toe. Mathurin has been a huge piece for the Clippers since the trade deadline, averaging 19.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 30.1 minutes per game while closing the majority of close games as the Clippers’ 6^th man. Despite the gaudy numbers, the actual experience has been a bit more inconsistent – but on the whole, Mathurin has helped a lot with his scoring juice. In his absence, expect more Jordan Miller and for Kobe Sanders to re-enter the rotation in a meaningful way. I wonder if we even get a look at Bogdan Bogdanovic.

To Sit or Not to Sit: The Clippers have an interesting choice to make tonight and Thursday during this back-to-back in New Orleans. Do they play Garland one night and Kawhi the other to give themselves a decent shot in both games? Do they sit them both the same night and take the L in that game but give themselves a much stronger shot at the other contest? Or is there not strategy at all involved and Kawhi is truly questionable, making his appearance in either game truly a matter of health? I’d guess that Garland plays tonight and Kawhi plays tomorrow, but that’s merely a guess, and probably a bad one. Especially with Mathurin out, the Clippers are going to be very low on scoring/playmaking if just one of Garland or Kawhi sits.

Clippers vs Pelicans Preview: Clips Shorthanded in New Orleans
Robert Flom

The Clippers will be trying to get revenge on a Spurs team that embarrassed them recently, but might have to do so without superstar Kawhi Leonard after he sprained his ankle Saturday night.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: NBCSN, Peacock, FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Spurs: De’Aaron Fox – Stephon Castle – Devin Vassell – Julian Champagnie – Victor Wembanyama

Clippers: Darius Garland – Kris Dunn – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Brook Lopez

Injuries

Spurs: Dylan Harper Questionable (Calf)

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Doubtful (Ankle), Yanic Konan Niederhauser Out (Foot), Bradley Beal Out (Hip)

The Big Picture

The Clippers dropped one of their worst losses in a while on Saturday, falling to the Kings at home in a defeat that was more or less wire-to-wire. There were some caveats – the Clippers were on the second night of a back-to-back and at the tail end of a five game in seven night schedule. Those games are always a struggle regardless of opponent. The Clippers also shot relatively poorly from three (9-27) while the Kings shot pretty well from three (12-27). But still, the Clippers just lacked a lot of the physicality, energy, and precision that they’ve had the past few weeks. It’s just one game, but losing to the Kings at home is tough, and hopefully the Clippers come out with a different focus tonight. Worse, Kawhi left early with injury – though nothing we’ve heard so far indicates it’s anything too serious.

The Antagonist

One of the marks of a contending team in the NBA is getting to 40 wins before 20 losses. The Spurs, at 49-18, are close to 50 wins before 20 losses. As the Clippers unfortunately found out a week or so ago when they blew a 25-point lead to the Spurs, the Spurs are shockingly mentally tough for a young team with virtually no playoff experience, and play with a force and confidence that can really grate on opponents. Boasting the 4^th ranked offense and 3^rd ranked defense in the NBA, the Spurs are a well-rounded team that is legitimately a contender to win the title (they might honestly be the second-favored team behind the Thunder) despite their youth. It’s been a remarkable season that should earn Wembanyama Defensive Player of the Year and get Mitch Johnson votes for Coach of the Year.

Notes

Kawhi Injury Status: The Clippers reported that Kawhi sprained his ankle against the Kings. Unfortunately, a sprained ankle is one of those things that varies widely in terms of intensity – it could cost Kawhi no other games, or multiple weeks. My guess would be that the Clippers are cautious with Kawhi, as they are more or less locked into a specific range in the postseason. It would be great if they could stick in the 8 seed instead of falling to the bottom of the play-in, but the most important thing is keeping Kawhi healthy. I’d thus guess he misses this game but is closer to truly questionable for the Clippers’ next contest on Wednesday.

Collins Back, but not Starting: John Collins returned against the Kings, but came off the bench for the first time this season, both because of a minutes limit and because Ty Lue probably didn’t want to disrupt the rhythm of the starting lineup. Collins looked healthy enough, and it was great to see him out there, even if the Clippers’ rotations did, as always, seem a bit more uneven due to reincorporating a major piece. As he reacclimates the question of whether he rejoins the starting unit or continues coming off the bench is going to be an interesting one. Of course, if Kawhi is out the starting lineup becomes easier, as Collins will slot into Kawhi’s spot alongside Dunn and DJJ.

Clippers vs Spurs Preview: Kawhi’s Status Up in Air
Robert Flom

The Clippers have now won four games in a row, and will hope to move their win streak to five games against the hapless Kings.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 7:30 PM PT

How to Watch: ESPN FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Kings: Killian Hayes – Nique Clifford – DeMar DeRozan – Precious Achiuwa – Maxime Raynaud

Clippers: Darius Garland – Kris Dunn – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Brook Lopez

Injuries

Kings: Domantas Sabonis Out (Knee), Zach LaVine Out (Hand), De’Andre Hunter Out (Eye), Keegan Murray Out (Ankle), Devin Carter Doubtful (Calf), Malik Monk Doubtful (Ankle), Russell Westbrook Probable (Quad), Dylan Cardwell Probable (Quad)

Clippers: Jonn Collins Out (Neck), Yanic Konan Niederhauser Out (Foot), Bradley Beal Out (Hip)

The Big Picture

The Clippers’ win last night over the Bulls was not pretty, but the Clippers are at the stage where a win is a win. The Clippers’ starting lineup continues to play quite well, with the Clippers getting huge contributions from Brook Lopez, Kris Dunn, and Derrick Jones Jr. even with Kawhi Leonard having an off night from the field, Darius Garland resting, and John Collins out with his neck injury. The Clippers are playing consistently well on both ends of the court, and continue to push in the standings. If they keep playing at this level, the 8 seed and the top half of the play-in tournament should be theirs. If they keep doing this well and the Suns falter at all, the 7 seed is technically still not closed off yet either.

The Antagonist

After losing 16 games in a row from mid-January through mid-February, the Kings are 4-5 in their last nine games: not a great record, but better than they’ve been most of the season. Ironically, the Kings have played better after removing their high-priced veterans from the rotation – even though their young players aren’t as talented, they consistently play harder and with more energy than players like LaVine or the departed Dennis Schroder did. If Russell Westbrook plays, you know he’s going to come out with force against his old team, even if most of his teammates (from just two seasons ago!) are no longer on the Clips. The Kings want to lose, but they are rested and the Clippers are on the second night of a back-to-back and at the end of a five-in-seven stretch. This might not be easy.

Clippers vs Kings Preview: The Homestand Rolls On
Robert Flom

The Clippers have won three games in a row and are playing some of their best basketball of the season as they welcome the Bulls to Inglewood.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 7:30 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Bulls: Josh Giddey – Matas Buzelis – Leonard Miller – Guerschon Yabusele – Jalen Smith

Clippers:Kris Dunn – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kobe Sanders – Kawhi Leonard – Brook Lopez

Injuries

Bulls: Noa Essengue Out (Shoulder), Zach Collins Out (Toe), Jaden Ivey Out (Knee), Anfernee Simons Questionable (Wrist), Collin Sexton Questionable (Leg), Isaac Okoro Questionable (Knee), Josh Giddey Probable (Ankle), Matas Buzelis Probable (Ankle), Guerschon Yabusele Questionable (Foot), Jalen Smith Questionable (Calf), Patrick Williams Questionable (Ankle)

Clippers: Darius Garland Out (Injury Management), Jonn Collins Out (Neck), Yanic Konan Niederhauser Out (Foot), Bradley Beal Out (Hip)

The Big Picture

The Clippers pulled out one of their best wins of the season on Wednesday, a wire-to-wire blowout of the Timberwolves. While the Clippers gave up a lot of points, a bunch of those came in garbage time – they mostly shut down the Wolves attack, and forced a truly insane number of turnovers. On offense, Kawhi Leonard spearheaded the attack with one of his best games of the season, receiving strong supporting performances from Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin. It was the kind of performance Clippers’ fans have become accustomed to over the past couple months, and featured a number of awesome dunks both in transition and in the halfcourt. The Wolves did not play well, but the Clippers looked awesome, and are now over .500 for the first time since they were 3-2 in October. What a turnaround this season has been.

The Antagonist

The Bulls are having yet another disappointing season stuck in the middle of the NBA: too good to be at the bottom of the tanking barrel and way too bad to do anything in the postseason. The Bulls finally leaned into the tank at the trade deadline, sending away Nik Vucevic, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunmu among others for a cadre of young guys and random vets, but it was too late, and they were too far behind teams like the Nets, Wizards, Jazz, and Kings in the lottery race. Still, they lost a lot of games in February, and if they keep losing, they should have solid odds, especially with the flattened lottery. However, the Bulls are doing their usual Bulls nonsense and winning games in March, which has kept them from sinking into potentially more favorable draft position. The only real bright spot on the roster is Matas Buzelis, who is having a pretty solid sophomore NBA season. Also, keep an eye out for Leonard Miller, who was a throw-in in the Ayo trade but has flashed real potential for the Bulls in the past handful of games.

Notes

Beware the Ides of Mickey Mouse March: The Bulls might be a below average team, but they are kings of Mickey Mouse March, especially Josh Giddey. They have a tendency to win games they shouldn’t in the month of March, ruining their draft pick odds in the process – and also upsetting fans of opposing teams that are trying to win. Classic Bulls. The Clippers have been locked in for a while now, and they can’t let up even a little bit against Chicago. Every game from here on out (until playoff standings are locked in one way or another) is a must-win, more or less, and this is an imminently winnable contest. Hopefully the Clippers can secure an easy W.

Clippers vs Bulls Preview: Keep the Good Times Rolling
Robert Flom

The Clippers have won two games in a row, including an excellent win over the Knicks on Monday night, and face another tough test with the Minnesota Timberwolves coming to town.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 7:30 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards – Donte DiVincenzo – Jaden McDaniels – Julius Randle – Rudy Gobert

Clippers: Darius Garland – Kris Dunn – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Brook Lopez

Injuries

Timberwolves: None

Clippers: Jonn Collins Out (Neck), Yanic Konan Niederhauser Out (Foot), Bradley Beal Out (Hip)

The Big Picture

The Clippers have done it! After starting the season a dreadful and embarrassing 6-21, they’ve gone 26-11 since then to get all the way back up to .500. Their win on Monday night also gave them the same record as the Golden State Warriors, and due to a tiebreaker the Clippers are now officially in 8^th in the Western Conference. This might not all sound like much considering their preseason expectations as a title contender and a seeming lock for a top-six seed, but when viewing through the prism of how the Clippers looked after the first third of the season, this turnaround is remarkable. In the process, the Clippers have worked their way up to 17^th in net rating, with the 18^th ranked defense and 12^th rated offense in the NBA. They’re just a good team now, on both ends.

The Antagonist

The Wolves are also a very good team, sitting at 3^rd in the Western Conference (by a hair) with the 10^th best offense and 9^th best defense in the NBA. The trade for Ayo Dosunmu has given them a bit more juice off the bench, and the resulting demotion of Mike Conley has also made them only reliant on one aging player in Rudy Gobert (having a terrific season). Anthony Edwards is awesome, Jaden McDaniels is an excellent wing defender, and not many teams have a 1-2 punch off the bench better than Naz Reid and Dosunmu. Their lack of consistency and crunch time collapses are really the only true drawbacks for Minnesota, a team that stands firmly in the second tier of the Western Conference and poses at least an outside thread to make the NBA Finals.

Notes

Darius Garland, Good Player: The Clippers have 4 wins and 0 losses when Darius Garland suits up for them. The Clippers’ new star guard is averaging 17 points and 5.8 assists in just 25.8 minutes per game while shooting a blistering 42.9% from three on 7 attempts per game. His speed, quick twitch agility in the halfcourt, and shooting has unlocked the Clippers’ offense, and the difference in the team when he’s on the court and off is extremely noticeable. To that point, the Clippers are an insane +55 in the 103 minutes Garland has been on the court – they are just crushing teams in his minutes. He should get even better as he gets his legs back under him and gains reps with his teammates, but it’s been an incredibly encouraging first four games for Garland’s Clippers tenure.

The Size Difference: The Timberwolves are one of the biggest teams in the NBA, and the Clippers without John Collins and Yanic Konan Niederhauser are one of the smallest. Size isn’t everything, but it is important in the NBA, and the Clippers need to be physical on defense, move the ball on offense, and tough on the glass to keep the Wolves’ physical advantage from grinding them down. The Wolves have been a tough matchup for the Clippers for years due to their size and athleticism, but this is a younger, more athletic Clippers’ team than we’ve seen since before the Kawhi era, and I’m curious how they’ll match up with the Wolves now.

Clippers vs Timberwolves Preview: Keeping the Winning Streak Going
Robert Flom

The Clippers return home after a brutal five game in seven night stretch to face the Eastern Conference powerhouse New York Knicks.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: Peacock, NBC Sports Network, FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Knicks: Jalen Brunson – Josh Hart – Mikal Bridges – OG Anunoby – Karl-Anthony Towns

Clippers: Darius Garland – Kris Dunn – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Brook Lopez

Injuries

Knicks: Deuce McBride Out (Core), Landry Shamet Questionable (Neck)

Clippers: Jonn Collins Out (Neck), Yanic Konan Niederhauser Out (Foot), Bradley Beal Out (Hip)

The Big Picture

One day after blowing a massive lead to the Spurs, the Clippers came back from a 19-point deficit to snag a win from the Grizzlies. It was an odd game, as the Clippers went away from Brook Lopez to play Isaiah Jackson a lot as well as some small ball with Kawhi at center. They also closed the game with only two starters on the court, playing Jackson as well as Jordan Miller and Bennedict Mathurin alongside Kawhi and Derrick Jones Jr. Still, a win is a win, and the Clippers were able to work their way to just one game back of the Warriors for the 8^th spot in the Western Conference. They now start a five-game homestand, which hopefully will help propel them past the Warriors in the standings.

The Antagonist

The Knicks have been one of the streakiest teams in the NBA this season, alternating between looking like the best team in the Eastern Conference and an utter disaster with poor chemistry on and off the court. Right now, they’re more in the former category, going 7-3 in their last 10 games with wins over the Nuggets, Spurs, Raptors, and Rockets among others. Despite their inconsistencies, for the season the Knicks have the look of a title contender – they are 5^th in the NBA in net rating (behind the Thunder, Pistons, Spurs, and Celtics), with the 3^rd rated offense and 7^th rated defense. They are a team composed almost entirely of players in the prime of their careers, and are getting solid contributions from youngsters such as Mohamed Diawara and Tyler Kolek when called upon. On the wrong night they can look awful, but they’re a very good team on balance.

Notes

Lopez on Hart: One of the most common ways that opponents defend the Knicks’ potent five-out offensive attack is to put their centers on Josh Hart and forwards or wings on Karl-Anthony Towns. The Clippers might utilize this tactic, as having Brook Lopez chase after Towns on the perimeter seems like a recipe for disaster. Now, the Knicks have gotten clever at exploiting such defensive mismatches, mostly via playing through Hart in pick and roll and with handoffs, but it is something I think the Clippers will try, especially if KAT starts cooking from deep. The Clippers could also play smaller, as they did at times against the Grizzlies, but that is dangerous against a Knicks team that can attack the offensive boards.

Nico Fading: Nic Batum has played six or fewer minutes in three of the Clippers’ past four games, with the lone exception being the Spurs loss when the Clippers were very shorthanded. Considering John Collins didn’t even play in any of those games, that does not bode well for Nico’s playing time when things get serious. As someone who has been a huge Nico advocate since shortly after he arrived in LA, it’s tough to say this, but it really might be time to phase him out of the rotation entirely when Collins returns. There will be nights where Nico’s combination of size on defense and shooting is needed, but his defense has slipped this year, and the Clippers’ overall lack of playmaking and creation is exacerbated with Nico on the floor. The Clippers need to find time for Garland, Dunn, DJJ, Kawhi, Collins, Lopez, Mathurin, and Jordan Miller, and that doesn’t count Kobe Sanders (the Clippers have shown they will go away from him) or Isaiah Jackson (it’s tough to go small with this roster). If Jordan slows down or becomes unplayable in big moments Nico could move ahead of him, but right now he’s the 9^th man at best in the rotation. The coaching staff and team trust Nico a lot, so he will still get his chances, but this is the most I’ve felt he’s at the fringes of the rotation since he first came to the Clippers all those years ago.

Clippers vs Knicks Preview: Back at Intuit
Robert Flom

The Clippers dropped a game last night in San Antonio that will haunt fans (and possibly the team itself) for quite some time due to its absurdity, but the Clips will have to move on quick to ensure a win against the Grizzlies.

Game Information

Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee

When: 5:00 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Kris Dunn – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Kobe Sanders – Brook Lopez

Grizzlies: Javon Small – Rayan Rupert – Jaylen Wells – GG Jackson – Olivier-Maxence Prosper

Injuries

Clippers: Jonn Collins Out (Neck), Yanic Konan Niederhauser Out (Foot), Bogdan Bogdanovic Questionable (Illness), Bradley Beal Out (Hip)

Grizzlies: Ja Morant Out (Elbow), Zach Edey Out (Ankle), Brandon Clarke Out (Calf), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Out (Finger), Santi Aldama Out (Knee), Taj Gibson Out (Conditioning)

The Big Picture

The Clippers dropped one of the most infuriating basketball losses you will ever see last night in San Antonio. On one hand, it was a road game against the second or third best team in the NBA and the Clippers were without several key players, so a loss is fine. On the other hand, they were up by 25 points in the second half, turned the ball over on a crucial inbounds where they could have gotten the lead, and then failed to box out the Spurs twice on free throws so that they didn’t even have a chance to win. It was comically embarrassing from all perspectives, and the type of loss that could only happen to the Clippers. It’s just one game, so hopefully the Clippers can learn, move on, and win a game tonight that is much more squarely in the “should get this one” category.

The Antagonist

The Grizzlies are probably the most competent and frisky of any of the teams that are actively trying to lose games, as they are 3-7 in their last 10 games and have been competitive in a number of their losses. Despite the lengthy injury report above, the Grizzlies are still playing a number of “real” players, including promising rookie Cedric Coward, well-rounded second-year Jaylen Wells, and competent veterans like Ty Jerome and Scottie Pippen Jr. The Grizzlies are losing games, but they are still fighting, and the Clippers can’t underestimate them, especially in Memphis. Still, if the Clippers are prepared and play organized, professional basketball, they should win this one.

Notes

Attack the Paint: Even diehard NBA fans might not recognize all the guys in the Grizzlies’ last starting lineup (above), but if you do, you’d notice there are no big men in that unit. Not only that, but even counting the guys who sat that game who seem like they’ll be active for this one (Pippen Jr, Jerome, Coward), there are no guys even approaching what you might call a “center”. The Grizzlies traded away Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jock Landale, and Edey and Clarke are injured, so they are basically out of big men. That means they play small and fast, which can be tough to guard, but it also means they have nobody with any size protecting the rim. The Clippers can’t settle for jumpers in this one; they have to relentlessly attack the paint, because they should be able to feast there.

Clippers vs Grizzlies Preview: Moving Past a Brutal Loss
Robert Flom