Clippers guard James Harden drives as Memphis Grizzlies guard Jaylen Wells defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots as Clippers center Ivica Zubac defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers guard Kris Dunn drives to the basket during the first half of their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward, right, drives as Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers forward John Collins (20) rebounds the ball during the first half of their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers guard James Harden handles the ball as the Memphis Grizzlies’ Vince Williams Jr. defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells drives as Clippers guard James Harden defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers forward John Collins drives as the Memphis Grizzlies’ Santi Aldama defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. handles the ball as Clippers guard James Harden, center left, defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers guard Bogdan Bogdanovic handles the ball as Memphis Grizzlies guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) looks to pass the ball as the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (2) and John Collins (20) defend during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant handles the ball as Clippers guard Kris Dunn defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Clippers forward John Collins goes up for a shot in front of the Memphis Grizzlies’ Santi Aldama during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward looks to shoot as Clippers guard Jordan Miller defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (23) goes to the basket as Clippers guard Kobe Brown (24) defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant drives to the basket as Clippers center Ivica Zubac, top, defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers forward John Collins gets to the basket for a layup past Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant during the second half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers forward John Collins reacts during the second half of their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers forward John Collins reacts during the second half of their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers guard Jordan Miller drives to the basket during the second half of their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) grabs a rebound in front of Memphis Grizzlies center Jock Landale (31) during the second half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
The Memphis Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward drives as Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, right, and guard Kris Dunn, left, defend during the second half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Clippers forward John Collins drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama defends during the second half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) is tended to at the bench during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers guard Kobe Sanders drives as Memphis Grizzlies guard Cam Spencer defends during the second half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
The Clippers’ Kobe Brown defends against Memphis Grizzlies guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope during the second half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Clippers guard James Harden goes to the basket during the second half of their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Vince Williams Jr. grabs a rebound during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, looks to shoot as the Memphis Grizzlies’ Vince Williams Jr. defends during the second half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
Clippers guard James Harden, right, chases after the ball during the second half of a game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) and Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, left, pursue a loose ball during the first half on Monday night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. The Clippers lost, 121-103. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers guard James Harden warms up before their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
A general view of the Intuit Dome before a game between the Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac warms up before their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
A view of the midcourt logo at the Intuit Dome before a game between the Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
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Clippers guard James Harden drives as Memphis Grizzlies guard Jaylen Wells defends during the first half on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD — The Clippers appeared to have reached a good place at least mentally, Coach Tyronn Lue said, pointing to their recent play.
“We’ve been better,” Lue said of his team’s close games. “Defensively, we’ve been better and offensively, it’s understanding how we want to play and the need to play has been better.”
That was Lue’s thought before the Clippers lost to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night in their first home game since Nov. 29. Afterward, his view took on a far less rosy outlook.
“I think mentally, I think when it gets hard, you got to get tougher. We can be playing good basketball and a couple of things go wrong and they’re like, ‘here we go again’ instead of having a mindset that we got to get tougher, we got to get stronger and then do things even better,” Lue said.
“And these last five, six, seven games, we haven’t been able to do that.”
All of which has left the Clippers stuck in a rut and going nowhere fast.
The Clippers have not won at the Intuit Dome since Halloween, have won just three of their past 21 games overall and have only the New Orleans Pelicans (5-22) to thank for keeping them out of the Western Conference basement.
The Clippers (6-20) are tied with the Sacramento Kings for 14th place.
Before the game, Lue said his players needed to make the hard plays down the stretch if they wanted to “get over the hump.” This game was over long before the final two minutes elapsed.
Whereas their last three losses were decided by nine, three and two points, this was a blowout by comparison. The Clippers, who have lost three games to the Grizzlies in less than three weeks, couldn’t blame this one on late-game blunders or missed opportunities.
The Grizzlies (12-14) dominated the fourth quarter, building a 23-point lead before settling for the 18-point victory. Reserve guard Cam Spencer scored 12 of his career-high 27 points in the final 12 minutes, burying his fifth 3-pointer with 8:34 remaining to give Memphis a 98-86 lead.
Spencer, who finished with seven 3-pointers (on 10 attempts), added another long-range shot roughly two minutes later to push the lead to 106-86.
The Clippers couldn’t generate much fight from there against a strong offensive showing by the Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the charge with 31 points on 13-of-18 shooting to go along with four rebounds and four assists. Jaylen Wells added 16 points and five rebounds and three assists.
The Clippers honored 12-time All-Star James Harden with a video tribute that celebrated his recent ascension into the NBA’s top 10 career scoring leaders. But the veteran point guard couldn’t match the highlights on Monday, finishing with 13 points, three rebounds and six assists.
Harden was listed as questionable before the game because of a calf injury that he sustained in the Clippers’ previous game against the Houston Rockets. Harden, who averaged 20.5 points and nine assists in the two previous games against Memphis, wore a wrap on his lower leg and lacked his usual explosiveness.
Lue said Harden wanted to play despite his limitations.
“I mean James wants to play every night and just having the mindset to try to gut it out for us was huge,” Lue said. “And you could tell he wasn’t himself throughout the whole course of the game and we just kept checking on him, kept trying to monitor it and just giving respect for just trying to get out there.”
Harden, like Kawhi Leonard, left the locker room without speaking to reporters.
Leonard led the Clippers with 21 points. Kris Dunn had 17 points and Ivica Zubac finished with six points but had 13 rebounds.
The Clippers couldn’t do much to slow the Grizzlies, who took a 56-48 lead into halftime behind Jackson’s 21-point explosion in the first half and 12 early turnovers by the Clippers.
“We didn’t score. We didn’t score the ball, especially at the start of the second quarter,” Lue said. “I thought their size hurt us when they had (Jock) Landale and Jackson in the game together, but I thought we did it to ourselves a couple of times, just not running the right offense.
“When the pressure is speeding us up that we tend to not do what we’re supposed to do. And so, they took full advantage of that. We turned the basketball over during that stretch as well and we were unorganized.”
The Clippers had 18 turnovers – 12 in the first half – compared to 11 for the Grizzlies.
The Clippers caught the Grizzlies in the third quarter, even regaining the lead (they had led by as many as nine in the first quarter) on a 3-pointer by Dunn at the 9:37 mark. But any lead the Clippers took was short-lived.
Memphis went on a 9-0 run to take a 72-64 lead with 4:46 left in the third, leading Lue to call a timeout but it didn’t change the Clippers’ error-prone ways.
Memphis won the first two meetings this season, but this matchup had a different look. For starters, two-time All-Star Ja Morant was in the lineup for Memphis after missing 10 games because of a sore right ankle, including the two against the Clippers.
Playing on a minutes restriction, Morant finished with 12 points in 21 minutes in his second game back. He finished with 21 points and 10 assists in a loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday.
While Morant was back, center Zach Edey was out because of a stress reaction in his left ankle. But the Grizzlies didn’t seem to notice.
Backup big men Landale and Santi Aldama joined Jackson in keeping Zubac away from the basket for much of the night.
LOS ANGELES — Devin Booker scored 35 points, Chris Paul became the third player in NBA history to reach 11,000 assists, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-95 on Sunday night.
The Suns didn’t waste any time getting started on the blowout. They raced to an 11-0 lead from the opening tip and led by 20 points at halftime and again in the third.
Marcus Morris scored 22 points, John Wall added 17 points and Paul George had 16 points in the Clippers’ home opener after winning their first two games on the road. Kawhi Leonard had 11 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench in his second game of the season.
Paul assisted on the Suns’ first basket of the game, a 3-pointer by Booker. Paul followed with an alley-oop pass to Deandre Ayton, who dunked, to give him 11,000 assists.
Paul joined John Stockton and Jason Kidd as the only players in NBA history with that many assists. Paul also became the first player in the league with 20,000 points and 11,000 assists.
Stockton had 15,806 assists and Kidd, now coach of the Dallas Mavericks, had 12,091.
Fittingly, Paul reached the mark against the Clippers, with whom he played for six seasons and is the franchise’s career assists leader.
Paul finished with seven points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.
Last season, the Clippers overcame deficits of at least 24 points four times.
Not this time.
The Clippers got no closer than 10 points on a 3-pointer by George late in the third. Booker and Cameron Payne scored to send the Suns into the fourth leading 86-72.
The Clippers were called for offensive fouls on Luke Kennard and Ivica Zubac after getting within 12 early in the final quarter.
Cam Johnson, former Clipper Landry Shamet and Booker hit consecutive 3-pointers that stretched the Suns’ lead to 99-81, sending the crowd to the exits.
TIP-INS
Suns: Shamet (left hip strain) and Johnson (right hip contusion) both returned.
Clippers: Reggie Jackson remains limited by a groin injury. He was scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting. … George and Leonard walked to center court to address the fans before the game, with George doing all the talking. He said the team’s slogan is Why Not Us. “Let’s go get it this year,” George said.
UP NEXT
Suns: Host defending NBA champion Golden State on Tuesday to open a six-game homestand.
Clippers: Play at Oklahoma City on Tuesday and Thursday in a two-game trip.
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LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard had 14 points and seven rebounds in his first game in 16 months, and the Los Angeles Clippers opened a season of sky-high expectations with a 103-97 victory over the Lakers on Thursday night.
Paul George scored 15 points and John Wall added 15 in his debut for the Clippers, who held on down the stretch to beat their more pedigreed Los Angeles rivals for the eighth consecutive time.
Leonard came off the bench for the first time since 2013 and played 21 minutes in his first game since he tore a ligament in his right knee in a playoff game in June 2021. The two-time NBA Finals MVP decided to ease back in a temporary reserve role after missing all of last season while recovering from surgery.
“My goal was to try to be great in my minutes,” Leonard said. “Have fun, obviously stay healthy and win the basketball game. We did that tonight. Just the first game, though. We’ve got a lot to go.”
The Clippers’ high hopes for their first championship rest largely on Leonard’s ability to return to elite form. Leonard and George are healthy now alongside five-time All-Star Wall, who provided an immediate spark in his first NBA game in 18 months after sitting out last season in Houston.
“I was turned up for sure,” Wall said of his return. “It felt great, I ain’t gonna lie. … We’ve got a new team, and it’s just going to take some time for us offensively with me (and Leonard) on a minutes restriction, but with due time, we’ll get there.”
Anthony Davis scored 25 points despite reduced mobility after a mid-game fall, while LeBron James had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the 20th home opener of his career. Lonnie Walker scored 26 points in his Lakers home debut.
The Lakers dropped to 0-2, but still rallied from two large deficits and kept it close into the final minute despite nightmare shooting performances from Russell Westbrook (0 for 11) and fellow point guards Patrick Beverley (1 for 7) and Kendrick Nunn (0 for 7) in their Lakers home debuts. The Lakers went 9 for 45 on 3-pointers overall.
“We’re getting great looks, all our guys,” Davis said. “Continue to have confidence in yourself. Don’t let missed shots take away your confidence. Keep shooting. Be confident in your shot, and they’re going to fall.”
The oft-injured Davis gave fans a fright when he crashed to the floor after being undercut in the third quarter. He returned a few minutes later and played through back pain.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Marcus Morris and Ivica Zubac scored 14 points apiece. Zubac added 17 rebounds, including six offensive boards.
Lakers: This injury-plagued franchise already has four players sidelined, including G Dennis Schröder (thumb surgery) and C Thomas Bryant (thumb surgery).
KAWHI BENCHED
Leonard suggested the idea of coming off the bench until he feels fully up to speed. Leonard had started 447 consecutive regular season games and 100 playoff contests since Nov. 10. 2013, when he came off the bench for the Spurs in New York.
Leonard indicated he’ll likely sit out one of the Clippers’ back-to-back games this weekend.
RUSS NOT BENCHED
Lakers coach Darvin Ham said he briefly spoke to Westbrook about the guard’s claim that coming off the bench possibly contributed to his preseason hamstring injury because he didn’t know how to warm up properly for a reserve role after spending the previous 13 years as an NBA starter. Ham said he and the Lakers “would in no way, shape or form put a player in harm’s way.”
UP NEXT
Clippers: At Kings on Saturday.
Lakers: Host Trail Blazers on Sunday.
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