INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Clippers came out of the gates on fire Monday night, but a second-quarter collapse and a 24-point deficit proved too much to overcome in a 119-115 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Intuit Dome.
The loss dropped the Clippers to 34-34 on the season and they now sit in the eighth spot in the Western Conference.
The Spurs improved to 50-18 with the win, continuing one of the most dominant stretches in the league this season.
A Fast Start That Fizzled
The Clippers looked sharp early, jumping out to a 37-29 first-quarter lead after Derrick Jones Jr. opened the scoring with a three-pointer and the energy at Intuit Dome was exactly what a short-handed team needed.
Then the second quarter happened.
San Antonio outscored Los Angeles 37-15 in the frame, turning an eight-point Clippers lead into a 66-52 halftime deficit.
The Spurs grabbed 22 offensive rebounds on the night and turned that effort into 25 second-chance points, wearing down the Clippers frontcourt.
Kawhi's Absence Looms Large
The Clippers played without Kawhi Leonard for the second straight game after the star forward left Saturday's loss to the Sacramento Kings with a left ankle sprain.
Leonard has been having a career year, averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 50.1 percent from the field this season.
His 45-game streak of scoring at least 20 points set a new franchise record, passing Bob McAdoo.
The bigger concern now is his availability going forward, as Leonard has missed 15 games this season and can only sit out two more if he wants to remain eligible for end-of-season awards like All-NBA.
Without him, the Clippers leaned on Darius Garland and their supporting cast to try to keep things competitive.
Garland finished with 25 points and 10 assists in the loss, but also turned the ball over eight times, which gave San Antonio easy opportunities in transition.
The Comeback Fell Short
To their credit, the Clippers did not quit after falling behind by as many as 24 in the second half.
They chipped away in the third quarter, outscoring the Spurs 30-26, and then made things interesting in the fourth with a 33-27 edge in the final frame.
Jordan Miller was the spark off the bench, pouring in 22 points on a ridiculously efficient 10-of-13 shooting while adding nine rebounds and three assists.
He attacked the rim all night and gave the Clippers the energy boost they desperately needed with their best player on the sideline.
Bennedict Mathurin added 16 points and the Clippers pulled as close as four points late, but they simply ran out of time.
On the other side, Victor Wembanyama finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks while controlling the paint on both ends.
Stephon Castle added 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, showing once again why San Antonio's young core is among the most exciting in the league.
De'Aaron Fox chipped in 18 points and six assists while Devin Vassell knocked down four threes on his way to 20 points, and the Spurs' balanced attack proved too deep for the short-handed Clippers.
The Clippers will hope for good news on Leonard's ankle as they hit the road for back-to-back games in New Orleans on Wednesday and Thursday.
Sitting at .500 with 14 games left, every game matters in the fight for playoff positioning and Los Angeles simply cannot afford many more losses without their best player.
