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Clippers Fall to OKC Thunder on Emotional Night
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- Clippers Fall to OKC Thunder on Emotional Night
The Los Angeles Clippers faced the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday and lost 108-101. It was another game where turnovers and chemistry became an apparent issue for this group, and it was also a game that was very emotional.
Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams went down with a gruesome leg injury in this game, and as a player who has been dealing with injuries in recent seasons, that was something fans or players did not want to see.
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In terms of what this game means for the Clippers, it showed that there is still work to do. Los Angeles was able to compete against the Western Conference contenders for much of the game, but the 26 total turnovers did them no favors.
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Clippers forward Rui Hachimura continued his slow start to the season shooting the ball as he finished the game shooting 2-11 and 1-6 from three-point range. Darius Garland also continued his issues with taking care of the basketball as he followed up his 9-turnover game against the Clippers with a 6-turnover game against the Thunder.
After his game against the Lakers, Garland took some accountability when talking to the media about his struggles, but there is clearly a chemistry issue as well. This is a Clippers team that is dealing with injuries, and it puts more pressure on Garland and Hachimura.
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One player who was able to help the Clippers compete in this one is guard Kris Dunn. Dunn finished the game with 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting from the floor, including a dunk over the Thunder's Chet Holmgren.
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Clippers rookie Keaton Wagler finished the game with a quiet 11 points, but he got to the free-throw line frequently and shot a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.
Moving forward, the Clippers will have to continue getting minutes with one another on the court. This is a team that is dealing with what's being handed to them because of injuries and drastic roster moves, and now it's a matter of chemistry.
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Rui Hachimura said himself that he isn't used to being guarded by the other team's best player for the entirety of a game, but when the team doesn't have Max Strus or Brandon Ingram available, that's the kind of pressure he may face.
The Clippers' next game will be against the Los Angeles Lakers, this time in Inglewood. It will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments they make and whether the turnover issue continues.
