As the Los Angeles Clippers continue their four-game road trip on Wednesday night in Washington, D.C., they aim to start a new winning streak against the struggling Wizards.
The Clippers had their five-game winning streak halted on Monday, falling 126-94 to the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics. This loss marked a rare defensive lapse for the Clippers, who had held each of their previous four opponents to fewer than 100 points, including a 102-99 win over the high-scoring Golden State Warriors on November 18.
This season, the Clippers have established one of the NBA’s top defenses, allowing only 107.5 points per game, the fourth-lowest in the league. They have been particularly effective in defending the three-pointer, limiting opponents to 34.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc. However, they struggled against Boston, conceding 22 of 51 shots from deep. The Clippers will look to regroup against a Washington offense that has been one of the league’s worst in various categories, including three-point shooting, where they hit just 32.5 percent and average 108.5 points per game.
Washington’s recent 127-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls marked their 12th consecutive defeat. Despite the team’s struggles, rookie Alexandre Sarr has shown promise, scoring 17 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in a 115-103 loss to Indiana on Sunday, followed by 20 points, seven rebounds, and 4-of-5 shooting from three-point range on Tuesday.
Sarr’s emergence comes as Washington’s leading scorer, Jordan Poole, who averages 21.2 points per game, is sidelined with a hip injury and is questionable for Wednesday’s game.
The Clippers are also dealing with injuries, as Norman Powell, who is averaging a career-best 23.3 points per game, has missed the past four games with a hamstring injury and is uncertain for Wednesday’s match. Amir Coffey has stepped in for Powell, starting this stretch with 18 points in a November 20 win over the Orlando Magic, but his scoring has decreased in each game, bottoming out at four points against the Celtics.
James Harden has picked up the scoring slack in Powell’s absence, scoring 24, 22, and 23 points in wins over Orlando, the Sacramento Kings, and Philadelphia 76ers. Ivica Zubac led the Clippers in Boston with 23 points and recorded his fourth consecutive double-double with 10 rebounds.
