The Los Angeles Clippers are playing better than before with their core at their usual selves, yet the wins are still far from certain. In their 115-113 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday, the Clippers showed glimpses of being a great team, but their problems persist.
Clippers Are Playing Better, But It’s Still Not Enough
Allergic to closing out games
Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Ivica Zubac were in full force against the Rockets on Thursday night. The trio combined to score 79 points, but the issue of bench production lingers. Bogdan Bogdanović was the only other Clipper to score in double digits with 10 points.
Yes, the Clippers have stood toe-to-toe with one of the league’s best offensive teams this season and have done the same against top squads like the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat. However, the common denominator remains: they consistently fall short in the end.
Janky turnovers are the issue almost every time. With 8.7 seconds left and a chance to tie, the Clippers failed to communicate on an inbounds play, leading to Nicolas Batum stepping on the line for a turnover. What some fans may dismiss as a one-off mistake has instead become a recurring issue for the Clippers.
No one on the Clippers went to get the inbounds pass in the clutch, Alperen Sengun air balls the first free throw to make it a 4-point game, and the Rockets win (with replays) pic.twitter.com/rW0BqbfVTS
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) December 12, 2025
The Clippers have lost eight games this season with a point differential of five or less. With a team as experienced as the Clippers, closing out games should be an expertise and not a flaw. Yet it is only one of many flaws Los Angeles has harbored this season, and it will likely continue until a major change happens.
Unsustainable play
As expected, the Clippers are relying more on isolations from their primary scorers, with Harden serving as the anchor and still regarded as a star. Both he and Leonard are in their mid-30s yet are expected to carry the isolation scoring load while logging 30-plus minutes per game.
If Steve Ballmer and GM Lawrence Frank ride with this current core for the rest of the season, they’d have to keep in mind the lack of depth the roster has, as well as the lingering issue of availability to Leonard. The inclusion of young players—Kobe Sanders, Kobe Brown, and Cam Christie—has yet to yield immediate results, but they are producing as expected at this stage of their careers.
Derrick Jones Jr. and Bradley Beal, who are out due to major injuries, are still very much missed in the lineup. Jones Jr. could have been an integral piece for Ty Lue in certain situations, especially when John Collins’ deficiencies were being exploited. Beal, despite his dip in scoring, remained an outside threat and, had he stayed healthy, could have eased the heavy load on Harden and Leonard.
The Last Word on the Clippers
As it stands, the Clippers are 6-19 and are the third-worst team in the NBA. Despite their offense and defense improving each game, the problems present at the beginning of the season are still apparent.
As the players try desperately to win games, it’s time for the front office to share the same sense of urgency by making moves to bolster the team as early as possible.
© Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The post Clippers Are Playing Better, But It’s Still Not Enough appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.