This article was written prior to the Clippers’ 120-119 loss against the Miami Heat, but much of the analysis still rings true.
After an exciting buzzer-beater from forward Kawhi Leonard to take down the New Orleans Pelicans 126-124 on Friday night, the Los Angeles Clippers hope to build on that momentum.
The Clippers face a four-game stretch this week with matchups against the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Phoenix Suns.
Five games into the 2025-26 NBA season, Los Angeles sits at 3-2. Their defense has improved, and they’ve limited open looks for opponents. Averaging 43 rebounds a game, the Clippers have done a nice job of giving themselves second chance opportunities and controlling the tempo of the game.
Los Angeles has also shown a balanced offensive attack. They’re led by Leonard who is averaging 24 points per game followed by point guard James Harden, putting up 22 and leads the team in assists.
Their four game stretch begins with the Miami Heat on Monday at 7 p.m. in Los Angeles. Miami comes in at 3-3 after losing to the Lakers Sunday night. Miami has been a great scoring team, averaging 125 points per game, which is third best in the NBA. They’ve also been one of the league’s most efficient teams, connecting from the field at a 49% mark.
Former Clipper Norman Powell,who was traded to the Heat via a three-team trade this offseason, returns to Los Angeles and leads Miami in points per game with 24. Miami’s pick and roll offense will be challenged by Los Angeles’ tough defense, paving the way for an exciting matchup. Similar to the Clippers, the Heat also struggle with turnovers. Both teams will hope to limit careless errors and capitalize on the other’s sloppy play.
On Tuesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder come in town and tipoff is set for 8 p.m. The defending NBA champions are off to a hot start at 7-0. Oklahoma City’s young roster will want to push the pace against a veteran Clippers roster. It will be important for the Clippers to control the pace of the game and prevent the Thunder from creating chaos in transition.
While the Thunder do a great job of attacking the rim, their long-range shooting is at times inconsistent, making them prone to scoring droughts. One area to keep an eye out is Oklahoma City’s aggressive defense against a Clippers team that wants to do a better job of eliminating the turnovers.
Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to navigate the pick and roll and attack the basket will keep the Clippers defense on its toes. The reigning MVP has had a solid start to this season — averaging 30 points per game
Finally, the Clippers wrap up the week with two games against the Phoenix Suns: one on Thursday in Phoenix, and one on Saturday at home.
In their match earlier in the season, Los Angeles had no trouble, beating Phoenix 129-102. The Clippers had no trouble finding ways to score against the Suns, shooting 59% from the field and 55% from three.
Phoenix has not been able to find consistency on offense this year as the perimeter shooting has struggled. The Suns want to play fast and push the ball in transition, which has caused an increase in their turnover rate this season. Against a Clippers team that will look to be aggressive, the Suns will want to do a better job with rim protection.
Guard Devin Booker has been lights out for Phoenix serving as a catalyst on offense, leading the team in points per game with 30 and seven assists per game. Center Mark Williams has been efficient on the boards for the Suns and is averaging seven rebounds a game.
With tough matchups slated for the upcoming week, Tyronn Lue’s squad will hope to build on recent success and further develop chemistry among a team with many new pieces.