Clippers still can't stop anyone as season begins to slip away

Kawhi Leonard came back. Ivica Zubac continued to grab rebounds. Kris Dunn tried to rough up Luka Doncic. None of it helped the Los Angeles Clippers (5-13) finally start playing defense.

Luka Doncic scored 43 points and missed a triple-double by one rebound as the Los Angeles Lakers beat their crosstown rivals, 135-118. LeBron James scored 25 points, Austin Reaves scored 31 and the Lakers shot 57.5 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from three-point range.

The Clippers are a terrible defense even with Kawhi Leonard

Leonard returned to the team in Sunday's 120-105 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers after missing three weeks, then played 28 minutes in Tuesday's loss. He's still working his way back, but his defensive impact was minimal against the Lakers, especially when he picked up three fouls in the third quarter guarding James and Doncic.

Perhaps when he's healthy Leonard can start guarding opposing stars more, because those players are killing the Clippers. Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points against them Sunday. Tyrese Maxey put up 39 points last week, one game after Jaylen Brown had 33. The Clippers aren't forcing the ball out of the hands of the team's best players, in part because James Harden, who averaged 34.3 points on the team's seven-game road trip, doesn't have the commitment or energy to defend at the point of attack.

The Clippers weren't getting great defense from nominal wing stopper Derrick Jones, Jr. before his recent knee injury. Kris Dunn was an exceptional defender last season and now he's just OK, with his steals and blocks notably down from last season. Tuesday, he drew an ejection for shoving Doncic in the back and then throwing a punch at Jaxson Hayes.