With the spectacle of Kawhi Leonard facing his former team placed on hold, the focus Monday will be about the Los Angeles Clippers taking on the visiting Toronto Raptors with each trying to figure out a way forward.
The Clippers are on a five-game losing streak as they return home for the game in Inglewood, Calif., while the Raptors have lost three of four since Leonard went down last week with left knee swelling. Leonard is set to miss as many as four weeks.
While Leonard lost significant time to knee injuries in his time with the Clippers, the team is now dealing with absences within the current roster. Guards Bradley Beal and Max Strus, forwards Brandon Ingram and Jordan Miller and center Yanic Konan Niederhauser are currently sidelined.
The Clippers started the season with a victory over the Sacramento Kings, but they have lost their last five games since, including two defeats to the Los Angeles Lakers and a 124-112 setback on the road against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
The Warriors converted 22 of 49 (44.9%) from 3-point range against the Clippers’ defense.
Rui Hachimura scored 24 points in defeat, his most in five games since joining the Clippers in the offseason. Kobe Sanders contributed 16 points off the bench and Darius Garland added 15 as Los Angeles was held to 44.0 percent accuracy from the field, but improved its ballhandling with a season-low 14 turnovers.
“I thought offensively, outside of some bad shots, I thought we tried to play the right way,” Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said. “I thought we had a focus and an intent to play the right way offensively, getting into the paint, making the right plays for our teammates.”
Despite the improved ball security, Los Angeles still leads the NBA with 21.0 turnovers per game.
Without Leonard, Scottie Barnes has stepped up offensively for the Raptors, scoring a team-high 29 in a 131-125 road loss to the Lakers on Sunday. Barnes scored a career-high 41 points in a home loss to the Orlando Magic on Friday and has averaged a career-best 24.8 points through six games.
“It’s accumulation of all the work over the years,” Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said of Barnes’ play. “The way your career develops, it’s not by making one miraculous play, it’s not one week of amazing work, it’s accumulation of all the work.
“Scottie is somebody who’s putting constant work on the court, studying the game, trying to take it to another level, and he’s ready this year for the next step.”
RJ Barrett recorded 22 points with 10 rebounds Sunday and Jamison Battle added 20 off the bench for Toronto, which opened a four-game road trip with the loss.
The Raptors are holding opponents to 45.3% shooting from the field, 11th best in the NBA, but witnessed the Lakers shoot 53.8% overall on Sunday and 48.6% from 3-point range. They did force the Lakers into 24 turnovers that they turned into 30 points.
The Clippers have won seven of the past eight games against the Raptors going back to the 2022-23 season and four consecutive at home. The all-time series is tied at 30 games apiece.
