The Clippers lost 125-117 at the Lakers on Friday after the game was tied at halftime, and they are now 1-1. Sunday they visit an Oklahoma City team that is 2-0 and won 64 games last season.
The game turned in one stretch of the third quarter.
The score was 64-64 at the break. Then the Lakers went on a 12-0 run, turning 76-77 into 76-89, and they won the quarter 37-26. Los Angeles ran Darius Garland's 26 points into a deficit he could not close, and he also committed nine turnovers. A late 8-0 run cut the gap to six, and no closer. The Clippers' biggest lead was 11 points.
Brook Lopez was the one lineup answer that worked.
Lopez made eight of nine shots for 22 points in 20 minutes and finished plus-1, the only starter-level name on the Clippers' side with a positive number. Rui Hachimura (minus-17) and Garland (minus-16) were on the floor for the damage. The Clippers got 71 points from the starters and 46 from everyone else. Lue is asking a 38-year-old center to carry minutes his roster cannot yet cover.
Oklahoma City is a bad matchup for a team this short.
The Thunder were 64-18 last season with a net rating of 11.1, against the Clippers' 1.1. They are missing Otega Oweh, Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber, all listed out, which still leaves Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace. The Clippers remain without Max Strus, Brandon Ingram, Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Bradley Beal, each listed out until November 8 at the earliest. Jordan Miller is listed out until March 2, 2027.
The standings are noise, but the schedule is not.
At 1-1 the Clippers sit seventh, a game behind the 2-0 Timberwolves. Next comes the Lakers again on Wednesday, then Minnesota and Golden State. Payroll of $188.9M leaves about $11.5M under the tax line, so there is little room to add help. Can this rotation survive a week of road games against better teams?
When do the Clippers play the Thunder?
They visit Oklahoma City on Sunday, October 25. The Clippers are 1-1 and the Thunder are 2-0.
Which Clippers are injured right now?
Strus, Ingram, Niederhauser and Beal are listed out, with November 8 as the earliest date given. Miller is listed out until March 2, 2027.
