Clippers’ Late Rally Falls Short Against Suns
Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with 21 points and 15 rebounds, while John Collins added 19 points in a short-handed effort during their 114-103 defeat to the Phoenix Suns. Kawhi Leonard missed his third consecutive game due to a sprained injury.
Team Struggles and Areas for Improvement
The Clippers are not panicking but recognize they must improve significantly to rise above a .500 record. Key areas include defense, team chemistry, and reducing turnovers.
“We got to play better,” said Coach Tyronn Lue. “We got to do things better, starting with the coaches and everybody. We all gotta look ourselves in the mirror.”
The team continues to face internal challenges, prone to injuries and falling behind early by double-digit margins. Despite rallying from an 18-point deficit on Saturday, the Clippers could not overcome the Suns at the Intuit Dome.
Game Highlights and Coach's Perspective
Saturday's loss marked the Clippers' fourth straight defeat, including three consecutive losses at home. However, Coach Lue praised their resilience during the comeback attempt.
“When it gets tough, we got to get tougher and so I liked our fight back,” Lue said. “I thought we did a good job of not letting go of the rope tonight.”
Trailing 104-96 late in the game, Kris Dunn made a layup and James Harden capitalized on a technical foul shot to narrow the gap to 104-99, but the comeback fell short.
Summary
The Clippers showed fight despite their fourth straight loss, highlighting the urgent need to fix defensive lapses, reduce turnovers, and build stronger chemistry to avoid falling behind early.
Author’s Summary
The Clippers’ ongoing struggles expose gaps in their defense and teamwork, underscoring the urgent need for improvement to turn around their losing streak.