Clippers lost to Spurs, Harden was unable to save the team, and lost miserably to San Antonio

On January 1, the 2024-25 NBA regular season ushered in the Los Angeles Clippers ' away challenge to the San Antonio Spurs on January 1. However, this game became a miserable defeat for the Clippers, who lost to the home team Spurs 86-122. The Clippers were in a sluggish state throughout the game. Except for James Harden who barely supported, other players rarely had outstanding performances; on the other hand, the Spurs' new star Victor Wenbanyama once again dominated the game, contributing 27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks.

At the beginning of the game, the Clippers fell into a passive position. The team only scored 17 points in the first quarter, of which 13 points were scored by Harden alone. The Clippers made frequent mistakes on the offensive end, and were completely unable to limit the Spurs' multi-point offensive on the defensive end. The Spurs became more and more courageous, and Victor Wenbanyama performed comprehensively on both offense and defense, helping the team take the initiative early.

Entering the second quarter, the Clippers were still in a slump, with only sporadic points. The Spurs continued their hot hand, with Keldon Johnson and Castle performing well on the offensive end, helping the team further widen the score. At the end of the half, the Clippers were already 20 points behind, and the game situation became increasingly unfavorable.

At the start of the second half, the Clippers tried to narrow the gap through the efforts of Harden and Powell , but the overall strength gap made it difficult for them to match the intensity of the Spurs. The Spurs continued to blossom in multiple places and steadily expanded their lead. At the end of the third quarter, the score difference was close to 30 points.

Entering the fourth quarter, the game completely lost suspense. The Clippers replaced their main lineup early and chose to give up the game. The Spurs took the opportunity to stabilize the situation and eventually won at home with a big score of 122-86.

Spurs player statistics

Wenban 27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, Barnes 11 points, 4 rebounds, Castle 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, Keldon Johnson 17 points, 6 rebounds, Vassell 8 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, Paul 7 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, Sohan 4 points, 5 rebounds, Tre Jones 2 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, Collins 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, Champagni 9 points, 2 rebounds, Mamou 4 points, 4 rebounds

Clippers player statistics

Harden 17 points and 3 rebounds, Powell 15 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals, Jones Jr. 6 points and 2 rebounds, Zubac 5 points and 7 rebounds, Dunn 7 points and 2 rebounds, Coffey 14 points and 2 rebounds, Hyland 7 points and 2 assists, Kai Jones 4 points and 4 rebounds

This game exposed the Clippers' current multiple problems. First, the team's overall offense lacked coherence, and Harden alone was clearly unable to cope with the opponent's comprehensive performance. Second, the defensive end was completely unable to limit core players such as Wen Banyama, and the rebounding protection seemed to be inadequate.

For the Spurs, this big win showed their potential. Wen Banyama 's continued outstanding performance proved that he has the ability to dominate the situation in key games. In addition, the team's overall coordination and defensive intensity have also reached a high level, laying the foundation for future competition.

The Clippers need to adjust their status quickly to solve their weakness on the offensive end and loopholes on the defensive end; while the Spurs hope to continue their good performance and continue to occupy a favorable position in the fierce competition in the Western Conference.