The Clippers, 1-4 and 13th, visit a 3-3 Golden State team that has five players out, including Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. The Clippers have their own gap: 110 minutes a night of missing rotation time, the most of any club by our count.
Golden State has thinned out more than the standings suggest.
The Warriors are 3-3 and riding three straight wins, but Curry and Green are out for rest. Jimmy Butler III is out with a right knee issue, Kristaps Porzingis with an illness and Moses Moody with a left knee issue. Gui Santos is day-to-day. Curry has averaged 29.2 points in five games, so the offense that remains leans on Yaxel Lendeborg (19.8 points in six games) and Brandin Podziemski (16.3 in four).
The Clippers cannot offer that much cover from their own bench.
By our count, Los Angeles is missing 110 minutes a night of rotation time today, and 1,495 since opening night, the most of any team. Max Strus, Brandon Ingram, Bradley Beal, Jordan Miller and Yanic Konan Niederhauser are out. Estimated returns for four of them are Nov. 8, and Miller's is March 2, 2027. Tyronn Lue is still playing with Darius Garland, who averages 22.0 points, and Kris Dunn.
The five-game sample points at scoring, not effort.
Over five games this season, the Clippers have an offensive rating of 104.4 against a defensive rating of 110.3, a net of -5.9. Thursday's 101-127 loss at Minnesota was the worst of the four defeats. Golden State won the Oct. 4 meeting 104-101, and a win today would put the Clippers 0.5 games behind the Warriors for 10th, per the standings brief.
The schedule gives the Clippers a short run to use.
Toronto visits Monday, then Miami comes Wednesday and New Orleans Nov. 8. Each team is within reach in the standings, but this is a small sample. The open question is whether a team this short can find enough shooting to win without Ingram and Beal.
Who is out for the Warriors against the Clippers?
Golden State lists Stephen Curry and Draymond Green out for rest, plus Jimmy Butler III, Kristaps Porzingis and Moses Moody. Gui Santos is day-to-day.
When are the injured Clippers expected back?
Strus, Ingram, Beal and Niederhauser have estimated returns of Nov. 8. Jordan Miller's estimate is March 2, 2027.
