The LA Clippers don’t need a miracle cure, but Brandon Ingram’s return might be the closest thing to one.
This team has stumbled out of the gate in all the familiar ways: too many turnovers, too little dependable scoring and a rebounding situation that’s been a mess from the jump. Darius Garland has been carrying a massive load as both the primary creator and the main scoring option, and that pressure has shown up in the form of giveaways.
The offense has also leaned heavily on rookie Keaton Wagler, who has emerged as the team’s second-best scorer. In the paint, Isaiah Jackson and Brook Lopez have been part of a center rotation that has not solved the rebounding problem.
That’s where Ingram comes in. He’s still working his way back from a partially torn Achilles, but there’s at least some encouraging movement on that front. Joey Linn, an independent beat writer, reported that Ingram is “making progress.”
And for a Clippers team that has looked out of sorts, that matters.
The turnover issue has been the loudest alarm. Garland has been asked to do too much, and when one player has to both run the offense and carry the scoring burden, mistakes pile up fast. The Clippers are turning it over at a league-high rate, and after the loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, they had 112 turnovers - just one fewer than the Charlotte Hornets, who have played one more game.
Ingram should help change that dynamic right away. He gives the Clippers another player who can create his own shot and take some of the scoring pressure off Garland, which should make the ball security issue easier to manage.
The scoring gap is just as glaring. The Clippers are sitting in the bottom two in the league in points per game, and Ingram’s track record speaks for itself. He has averaged more than 20 points for seven straight seasons, which is exactly the kind of production this group has been missing.
He can help on the glass, too. Ingram has been an above-average rebounder throughout his career, and he hasn’t finished a season below five rebounds per game since 2020-21.
He averages 5.2 rebounds per game for his career. If he brings that level of work to the Clippers on a regular basis, the team could climb from one of the league’s worst rebounding groups to at least borderline top-20.
That’s a meaningful swing.
The Clippers have plenty to clean up, but Ingram’s return would give them a real chance to steady the whole operation. He can score, rebound and ease the burden on Garland. For a team that badly needs answers, that kind of presence could change everything.
In Other News...
Clippers Just Got A Harsh Look At Golden States New Threat
The Clippers got a fresh reminder that Golden State may have found another young scorer in Yaxel Lendeborg, who erupted for 37 points and looked comfortable doing it across 34 minutes. The rookie added 4 rebounds and 6 assists, giving the Warriors a lot more than just a hot hand and giving Los Angeles a long night trying to sort out his pace, shot-making and playmaking.
For a Golden State team always trying to balance present-day results with the next wave, Lendeborgs showing carried real weight beyond one box score. Steve Kerr came away encouraged by the early return, and the bigger concern for Clippers fans is that this may be only the beginning of a player who already looks capable of making life harder on opponents while he keeps learning. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Get A Huge Opening Against A Shorthanded Warriors Team
The Clippers are set to catch a break against Golden State with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green expected to sit out, giving Los Angeles a much cleaner opening than it might have faced against a fully stocked Warriors group. Steve Kerr confirmed the decision came after discussion with the medical staff and the players, part of the teams broader approach to managing availability as the season moves along.
Kerr described the situation as a week-by-week process, which keeps the focus on long-term health rather than forcing either veteran into action for a single game. Curry also spoke recently about Jimmy Butlers recovery from an ACL injury and the way Golden State is trying to stay competitive through all the absences, but for the Clippers, the immediate takeaway is simple: a marquee matchup just got a little less daunting. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Defensive Problems Exposed Again By Warriors Breakout Night
The Clippers ran into another rough defensive night as Golden State kept rolling with a balanced attack in a 124-112 win, extending its streak to four straight. The Warriors got major production from several places on the floor, with DeAnthony Melton, Brandin Podziemski, Charles Bassey, Brandon Williams and Al Horford all making meaningful contributions to a game that never really tilted back toward Los Angeles.
The biggest storyline, though, was the emergence of rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who delivered a career-best scoring night and did it efficiently enough to keep the Clippers chasing all evening. For a Los Angeles team trying to stabilize its defense, the concern is not just that one opponent found a hot hand, but that Golden State kept finding answers every time the Clippers looked ready to close the gap. [Read more 🡒]