The Clippers’ Woes Continue
Los Angeles Clippers #2 Kawhi Leonard (F) scored 21 points on 9 for 18 shots on the floor against the Memphis Grizzlies’ defense at the Intuit Dome. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs/TGSportstv1 December 15, 2025.
INGLEWOOD, CA – The Los Angeles Clippers' struggles continued Monday night, with a 121-103 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at the Intuit Dome. The defeat marked the Clippers' eighth consecutive home loss and their 12th loss in the last 14 games overall.
The Memphis Grizzlies earned their third victory against the Clippers in less than three weeks, showcasing dominant performances from their front court and back court. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the charge, scoring 21 of his game-high 31 points in the first half and shooting a hyper-efficient 13-of-18 (72.2%) from the floor.
He snapped a five-game stretch where he had been averaging only 10.2 points. Guard Cam Spencer provided the crucial perimeter spark off the bench, finishing with a career-high 27 points and knocking down seven 3-pointers on 10 attempts, four of which helped put the game away in the fourth quarter.
For the Clippers, the night was a story of missed opportunities and offensive stagnation. Kawhi Leonard paced the team with 21 points, while Kris Dunn provided a spark with 17 points in a reserve role. However, star guard James Harden struggled to find his rhythm while nursing a lower leg injury; after being listed as questionable, Harden was held to just 13 points, leaving the Clippers without their usual offensive engine.
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair defined by quick runs and physical interior play. John Collins sparked the Clippers early with a running jump shot and a high-flying dunk. Kawhi Leonard also found his rhythm early, scoring seven quick points. However, momentum began to shift late in the period.
Memphis Grizzlies #8 Jaren Jackson Jr. (F) going up for a layup against the Los Angeles Clippers #2 Kawhi Leonard (F) at the Intuit Dome. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs/TGSportstv1 December 15, 2025.
James Harden committed two early turnovers and uncharacteristically missed three of his four free-throw attempts. Memphis took advantage of these miscues, as Cam Spencer entered the game and immediately scored 9 points in the final five minutes of the quarter. A late layup by Jackson Jr. cut the Clippers' lead to 27-25 as the first period closed.
Memphis opened the second quarter on a tear, led by Jackson Jr., who scored 14 points in the period. His pair of three-pointers and a couple of driving, floating jump shots stretched the Grizzlies' lead to eight. After a slow start, James Harden showed signs of life late in the quarter, hitting two crucial three-pointers.
The Grizzlies dominated the paint defensively, recording three blocks and forcing several Clippers’ turnovers throughout the period. The Clippers used a late 5-0 run to trim the deficit as the Grizzlies headed into the locker room with a 56-48 lead.
The third quarter offered a brief glimpse of hope for the home crowd. Los Angeles managed to claw back into the game, momentarily seizing a 64-63 lead following a Leonard three-pointer. Memphis responded with a clinical 9-0 run to reclaim control and never looked back, entering the final frame with a commanding 90-76 lead before cruising to the 18-point victory.
Los Angeles Clippers #8 Kris Dunn (G) scored 17 points off the bench to help his team stay close against the Memphis Grizzlies, is being guarded by #12 Ja Morant (G) at the Intuit Dome. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs/TGSportstv1.
The Grizzlies put on a clinical offensive display at the Intuit Dome, finishing with a highly efficient 52.3% shooting from the field (45-of-86). Their success was largely fueled by a hot hand from beyond the arc, where they knocked down 41% of their attempts (16-of-39). The Clippers struggled to maintain offensive consistency throughout the night, finishing with a 46.3% shooting mark from the field on 37-of-80 attempts and hitting 13-of-36 three-pointers (36.1%).
Head Coach Tyronn Lue didn’t mince words when addressing the team’s current slide and mental toughness "I think mentally, when it gets hard, you’ve got to get tougher," Lue said. "We can be playing good basketball and a couple of things go wrong, and it’s like, 'here we go again.' We’ve got to have the mindset that we have to get stronger and do things even better."
Memphis also saw double-digit contributions from Jaylen Wells (16 points) and a returning Ja Morant, who chipped in 12 points.
The defeat drops Los Angeles further down the Western Conference standings as they search for answers. They will head to Oklahoma City on Thursday, hoping to snap their skid against the Thunder before the season slips further out of reach.