The Los Angeles Clippers are running out of ways to dress this up. Without Kawhi Leonard, the margin for error disappears, and it showed again in a 105-99 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
This wasn’t a blowout. It was worse in a different way; close enough to tease, but never enough shot-making or structure late to actually flip it.
The Clippers shot just 59.4% from the line, 31.3% from three, and when the game tightened in the fourth, there was no one who could settle things down. Meanwhile, New Orleans stayed composed, got timely buckets, and handed L.A. its fourth straight loss.
Derrick Jones Jr.: A-
Game Stats: 22 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 7-11 FG, 1-2 3PT, 7-7 FT, 34 MIN
Jones brought real energy, and honestly, he was one of the few guys who looked like he had a plan every time he touched the ball. He attacked the rim, finished through contact, and didn’t waste possessions. Perfect from the line stands out on a night where the team struggled there. If anything, you wanted more touches for him late because he was one of the only players consistently creating something positive.
John Collins: B+
Game Stats: 18 PTS, 8 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 3 TOV, 7-14 FG, 3-8 3PT, 1-3 FT, 28 MIN
Collins had his moments, especially stretching the floor and crashing the glass, but it never fully clicked. The three-point shooting helped keep the spacing alive, but the missed free throws and a couple careless turnovers took away from it. He was active, no question, just not sharp enough when it mattered.
Isaiah Jackson: B+
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 6-9 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-3 FT, 19 MIN
Jackson gave them a spark off the bench. He ran the floor, finished efficiently, and brought some needed athleticism. It wasn’t perfect, but his energy stood out compared to some of the starters. You could argue he deserved more run.
Bogdan Bogdanovic: B+
Game Stats: 16 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 2 TOV, 6-9 FG, 3-5 3PT, 1-2 FT, 27 MIN
Bogdanovic came in and scored. He knocked down shots, spaced the floor, and gave them some offensive life. The issue is it came in pockets. When they needed a steady scoring presence late, it didn’t fully carry through.
Kris Dunn: B-
Game Stats: 8 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 3 TOV, 3-8 FG, 2-4 3PT, 34 MIN
Dunn did what he always does: defend and scrap. Three steals and solid rebounding from the guard spot helped keep the Clippers competitive for stretches. Offensively, though, it felt limited. He knocked down a couple shots, but there’s only so much he can generate in a lineup already lacking shot creators.
Jordan Miller: B-
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 2-8 FG, 0-3 3PT, 7-11 FT, 37 MIN
There’s something to like here, eight rebounds, five assists, no turnovers, but the inefficiency is hard to ignore. He struggled to convert from the field, and even at the line, left points behind. You can see the all-around impact, but they needed scoring, and it just didn’t come cleanly.
Brook Lopez: C+
Game Stats: 6 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK, 3 TOV, 2-9 FG, 0-3 3PT, 2-6 FT, 29 MIN
It looks like it was a rough night. While there may have been defensive presence around the rim, it was offset by poor offensive performance, which resulted in missed free throws, poor touch around the rim, and shots that just wouldn’t fall. In a game where every possession counts, these add up.
Kobe Sanders: C+
Game Stats: 5 PTS, 2 AST, 4 STL, 1 TOV, 2-6 FG, 1-4 3PT, 20 MIN
The four steals jump off the page – that’s real activity defensively. But offensively, it was uneven. Missed shots, limited impact as a scorer. Still, the defensive effort keeps this from being a negative outing.
Cam Christie: C
Game Stats: 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 2 TOV, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, 12 MIN
Didn’t give them anything offensively, and the turnovers didn’t help. Had a couple decent moments moving the ball, but overall, this was a quiet and forgettable stretch.
