Leonard’s absence on the court was felt in Thursday night’s loss. Credit: © Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Clippers Stumble With 105-99 Loss To Pelicans To Extend Losing Streak

Originally posted on Stadium Rant | By Kevin Marquez | Last updated Mar 21, 2026 9:58 AM ET

The Los Angeles Clippers had been a team to watch in these past months with their winning streaks to push them to an over 500 record. The 6-21 start was abysmal, but the team was able to overcome it and become the first team to be over .500 after starting 15 or more games under . The feel-good story has been experiencing a rough stretch of games, with the Clippers plummeting to a 34-36 record after their 105-99 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Injuries Throughout The Lineup

Injuries are a part of the game that no team enjoys experiencing. Los Angeles is feeling the effects of temporarily losing their star players to injury with this four-game losing streak. Kawhi Leonard, Darius Garland, and Bennedict Mathurin are all recovering from injuries, which will force them to miss the Clippers’ road trip.

There are other players piling up on the injury list but they are out for an extended period time. When Leonard and the rest of the day-to-day injured players return, then the team can return to form with their winning ways.

Clippers Scoring Issues

Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. finished the night with a team-high 22 points. Credit: © Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The night was filled with inconsistencies from Los Angeles. Center Brook Lopez finished with a measly six points in 29 minutes of play. Guard Kris Dunn garnered just eight points in 34 minutes. The Clippers were playing with major handicaps as their starting lineup was depleted but it doesn’t excuse these scoring outputs by the rest of the team.

It also didn’t help that the Pelicans were playing their best version of basketball. New Orleans guard Trey Murphy III exploded with a 27-point performance Thursday night, leading his team in scoring and to their 25th win.

End Of My Los Angeles Clippers Rant

Thursday night’s loss to the Pelicans reinforced the fact that this team relies heavily on Leonard. The Clippers’ biggest strength is the two-way veteran on the court. When he returns to the court, then the worries about the team being a fluke these past months will wash away.

Los Angeles’ next game is Saturday night against the 23-47 Dallas Mavericks.

This article first appeared on Stadium Rant and was syndicated with permission.

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