The Clippers are 1-4 and 14th after a 127-101 loss in Minnesota, their fourth defeat in a row. Sunday's trip to Golden State opens a three-game stretch before Nov. 8, the estimated return date for four injured regulars.
The skid reflects the roster, not bad luck.
Minnesota trailed for barely a stretch on Friday, led by as many as 29 and finished with a 15-0 burst. The season profile explains it: a 104.4 offensive rating against a 110.3 defensive rating. Darius Garland scored 24 on 10-of-22 shooting but gave the ball away five times, and Keaton Wagler went 2-of-11 from the field. Clipperholics argues the club is asking too much of its 19-year-old, and Friday's box score supports the point.
Golden State arrives short-handed and hot.
The Warriors are 3-3 with three straight wins, and the Los Angeles Times reported they erased a 25-point Lakers lead in their latest. Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porzingis and Moses Moody are all out. Stephen Curry is averaging 29.2 points across five games, and Yaxel Lendeborg 19.8. The Clippers beat Golden State 104-101 on Oct. 4. Both sides come in with one day of rest.
Reinforcements have a date, and the cap sheet cannot speed them up.
Max Strus, Brandon Ingram, Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Bradley Beal all list Nov. 8 as an estimated return, the night the Pelicans visit. Rui Hachimura was cleared on Oct. 30 and posted the club's best plus-minus Friday, -4 in 26 minutes. Jordan Miller's left shoulder keeps him out until an estimated March 2. Payroll sits at $188.9M, over the cap but under the $200.4M luxury tax, and with the 2029 and 2030 firsts forfeited there is little to trade for a quick fix. Until then, Brook Lopez, 38, is absorbing eight extra minutes a night.
The open question is how deep the hole gets before Nov. 8.
Golden State holds 10th, 1.5 games ahead of the Clippers, with Toronto on Nov. 2 and Miami on Nov. 4 to follow. Whether Tyronn Lue's group can steady itself through those three games decides whether the returning players join a race or a rescue.
When are Brandon Ingram and Bradley Beal expected back for the Clippers?
Both carry an estimated return date of Nov. 8, the same as Max Strus and Yanic Konan Niederhauser. Jordan Miller's estimated return is March 2.
When do the Clippers play the Warriors?
The Clippers play at Golden State on Nov. 1. The Warriors list Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porzingis and Moses Moody as out.
