The Clippers’ current 15-3 run started with a victory against the Lakers more than a month ago when they handed their crosstown foes a 103-88 loss on Dec. 20. That night has proven to be the turning point in their young season.
Before that, though, there were 21 losses and just six victories, a spiral that started with their season opener – an embarrassing 129-108 road defeat against the Utah Jazz. It was the Clippers’ most lopsided season-opening loss in 17 years.
Now, the sizzling Clippers return to the Delta Center on Tuesday night, and the memories remain fresh.
Jazz center Walter Kessler burned the Clippers for 22 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the field to go along with four blocked shots and four assists that night. Lauri Markkanen and Brice Sensabaugh each added 20 points, leaving the Clippers with a disappointing loss for a team with lofty expectations.
“Oh no, we remember that night. I remember that night,” Clippers forward John Collins said. “I feel like we all understand what happened. So, I feel like we’re going to come out and compete our butts off. That should be the mentality.
“But I feel like again, we all remember what happened that night and how our season started, so it’s going to be nice to go back in there and have a chance to change (the outcome).”
Since that October game, the teams have gone in different directions. The Clippers’ 15-3 surge has seen them climb to 21-24 overall. The Jazz are 15-31 and have won just three of their past 18 games.
The Clippers avenged that first loss with a 118-101 victory on Jan. 1 at the Intuit Dome behind Kawhi Leonard’s 45 points and James Harden’s 20. But the outcome could have been a repeat of their first meeting.
The Clippers blew a 21-point lead in their second game against the Jazz before Leonard took over and led the team to what was then a season-best sixth consecutive victory.
Coach Tyronn Lue credits Leonard and Harden for much of the Clippers’ success. Leonard ranks seventh in the NBA in scoring at 28.3 points per game and first in free throw percentage (94.0%), while Harden is 24th at 25.4 ppg and fourth in assists with 8.1 per game.
“Those two guys have been phenomenal, and when Kawhi’s been out, James has done a good job just carrying a heavy load and when they’re both on the floor, we’re a pretty good team,” Lue said. “We just got to keep it going.”
SAN DIEGO ADDS REDDISH
The San Diego Clippers have acquired forward Cam Reddish from the Austin Spurs in exchange for the G League team’s 2027 first-round draft pick.
Reddish, 26, appeared in 81 games over two seasons with the Lakers and averaged 4.5 points before being waived last season.
The 6-foot-7 forward from Duke has played for the Atlanta Hawks, who drafted him 10th overall in 2019, the New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers and Lakers.
CLIPPERS AT JAZZ
When: Tuesday, 7 p.m. PT
Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City
TV/Radio: FDSN SoCal, NBC (Ch. 4), 570 AM