Clippers and Warriors Face Off Amid Extensive Injuries
Both Western Conference teams will play on the first night of a back-to-back while missing several key players.
The Los Angeles Clippers travel to face the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The Western Conference matchup begins at 8:30 p.m. ET and marks the first meeting of the season between the two franchises.
The Clippers enter the contest looking to snap a four-game losing streak. After opening the regular season with a victory over the Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles has struggled to find momentum, dropping to a 1-4 record and sitting 13th in the Western Conference standings. This game opens a back-to-back set for the team and represents their fourth road appearance in their last five games.
Golden State enters the matchup following a slow start to the season that saw them drop their first three contests. However, the Warriors have completely turned things around by winning three consecutive games, highlighted by a notable 25-point comeback victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in their recent NBA Cup matchup. The Warriors currently hold a 3-3 record and sit 10th in the West as they continue a six-game homestand.
Both rosters face severe depletion due to extensive injury reports. The Clippers will be without Brandon Ingram, who is recovering from right heel surgery following an offseason trade from the Toronto Raptors. Bradley Beal remains sidelined for injury management regarding his right knee after undergoing hip surgery last season. In addition, Los Angeles is missing Max Strus due to a right plantar fascia tear, Jordan Miller following left rotator cuff surgery, and Yanic Konan Niederhauser due to right Lisfranc surgery.
To cope with these absences, the Clippers project to start Darius Garland, Kris Dunn, Rui Hachimura, Derrick Jones Jr., and Isaiah Jackson, with support from players such as Keaton Wagler, Kobe Sanders, Brook Lopez, and Gradey Dick coming off the bench.
The Warriors are facing their own significant personnel losses, electing to rest star guard Stephen Curry and forward Draymond Green on the front end of their back-to-back schedule. Both played 31 minutes in the win against the Lakers, but head coach Steve Kerr will sit them out for right knee and bilateral low back injury management, respectively. Golden State is also missing Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody as they recover from major surgeries, while Kristaps Porzingis is currently away from the team.
With several veteran stars unavailable, the Warriors will heavily rely on rookie standout Yaxel Lendeborg, who has impressed through the first two weeks of the season. Brandin Podziemski and Gui Santos are also expected to feature prominently in the starting lineup alongside Lendeborg, as Golden State relies on its depth to offset the missing production.
Analysts point to the depleted rotations as a factor that could lead to a lower-scoring affair. The Clippers average just over 105 points per game and rank near the bottom of the league in scoring, while the Warriors must reconfigure an offense heavily dependent on Curry's usual output. The game will be broadcast on television through ClipperVision, NBC Sports Bay Area, and NBA League Pass.