Clippers guard Jordan Miller, left, shoots as San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, left, shoots as Clippers forward John Collins defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard handles the ball as the San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, left, shoots as Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers point guard Darius Garland, left, shoots as San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, left, and guard Dylan Harper, right, go after a loose ball along with Clippers guard Kris Dunn during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers center Brook Lopez handles the ball as the San Antonio Spurs’ Luke Kornet defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, left, hangs from the rim after a dunk as Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, far right, celebrates from the bench during the first half of a game against the Clippers on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, hangs from the rim after dunking in front of Clippers center Brook Lopez, left, while Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, second from right, celebrates from the bench during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers point guard Darius Garland looks to shoot as the San Antonio Spurs’ Luke Kornet defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers point guard Darius Garland, left, shoots as San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers point guard Darius Garland, left, shoots as San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, left, drives past Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers forward John Collins handles the ball as San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell, left, grabs a rebound away from Clippers center Brook Lopez during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Jordan Miller, right, shoots as San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Jordan Miller, right, shoots as San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers forward John Collins tries to drive as San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox defends during the first half on Thursday night at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers forward John Collins, left, tries to control the ball as San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, right, defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Kris Dunn, right, knocks the ball from the hands of San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin, top, and San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox scramble for a loose ball during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, left, celebrates after scoring as Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin looks on during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson celebrates after scoring during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin, left, shoots as San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell defends during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin celebrates after scoring during the second half of a game against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, left, shoots as Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin defends during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Jordan Miller, front, takes a loose ball away from San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper, right, shoots as Clippers forward Nicolas Batum defends during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Kobe Sanders, right, shoots as San Antonio Spurs center Bismack Biyombo defends during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson, right, is seen throughout he arm of guard Dylan Harper during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Darius Garland, right, shoots as San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson defends during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper, top, drives by Clippers forward John Collins during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Ingram watches the ball go through the basket during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. dunks during the second half of a game against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson gestures from the sideline during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers center Brook Lopez, left, reaches in on San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers guard Kris Dunn, left, and San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson go after a rebound during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson celebrates after scoring during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper, right, handles the ball as Clippers guard Kris Dunn defends during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle drives between the Clippers’ Kris Dunn, left, and John Collins during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, left, and Clippers guard Bennedict Mathurin pursue a loose ball during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, below, shoots as Clippers forward John Collins defends during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, below, shoots as Clippers forward John Collins defends during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Clippers point guard Darius Garland, right, shoots as San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie, left, and guard Stephon Castle defend during the second half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle soars to the rim for a dunk during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle soars to the rim for a dunk during the second half of a game against the Clippers on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who sat out, reacts in front of teammate Harrison Barnes during the second half of a victory over the Clippers on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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Clippers guard Jordan Miller, left, shoots as San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie defends during the first half on Thursday, April 2, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
INGLEWOOD — Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said his team needed to approach Thursday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs with the same mentality as any other game.
And that included their previous two matchups against the hottest team in the Western Conference.
“Our mindset is we can’t be different,” Lue said before the game. “We got to play the same way no matter who’s on the floor.”
And, in this instance, who was not.
The Clippers caught a break in their quest for a better postseason spot when Spurs MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama was ruled out because of ankle management. Or so it seemed.
While there wasn’t a 7-foot-4 obstacle blocking the lane, the Clippers still couldn’t get out of their own way and lost to the Spurs for the third time in less than a month, 118-99, at the Intuit Dome.
“They’re a good team, but Wemby’s not playing, so definitely can’t overlook that,” Lue said beforehand. “It’s got to be our mindset coming out, having a defensive mindset.”
The Clippers might not have taken Wembanyama’s absence for granted, but they didn’t take advantage of it either and now face the prospect of heading into the perilous Play-In Tournament as the No. 9 seed.
With their second straight loss, the Clippers (39-38) dropped a half-game behind the Portland Trail Blazers (40-38) in the race for eighth place in the Western Conference and a chance to avoid the 9-vs.-10 single-elimination game. The Blazers beat the New Orleans Pelicans, 118-106, on Thursday.
San Antonio (59-18) is chasing the Oklahoma City Thunder (61-16) for the top seed, sitting two games behind at No. 2 with five games left in the regular season. The Spurs have won 27 of their past 29 games.
The Clippers’ previous two games against the Spurs were both four-point losses, and they shook off a poor first half to make this one competitive until San Antonio took control for good early in the fourth quarter.
Brook Lopez said the Clippers are not being as aggressive as they had been during their recent five-game winning streak, playing the role of counterpuncher instead of landing the first blow.
“I think we just need to get back to being the aggressor, to getting out there, being the more physical team,” Lopez said. “And part of that is just the way you look at our schedule. We’ve been playing every other day for a month now. I know I feel a bit fatigued, our guys feel a bit fatigued.
“But I think that we’ve done a great job of just being resilient. We’ve kept going.”
The Clippers fell behind in the first quarter as they struggled to find the basket and trailed the hot-shooting Spurs 68-44 at halftime. The visitors led by as much as 26 early in the third quarter and appeared headed to an easy victory.
Lue said the game got away from the Clippers midway through the first quarter, which put them in a quick deficit that cost them at the end.
“They really attacked us,” he said. “They were physical going to the basket and we couldn’t withstand their attack. … I don’t even know how many paint points they had, but it just felt like they were just living in the paint and we couldn’t control their penetration.”
The Clippers, however, discovered a defensive intensity that had been missing in the first half and slowed the Spurs, while finding their offensive game in the third period. The Clippers began hitting 3-pointers, Bennedict Mathurin got to the free-throw line, Kawhi Leonard found his rhythm and suddenly they were back in the game, closing a strong quarter with a 14-4 run to get within 87-78 heading into the fourth.
Jordan Miller opened the fourth with a turnaround jump shot to cut the margin to seven points, and the Clippers could have sliced it to five but they missed a fast-break opportunity and the Spurs responded with a 23-5 run to end the threat.
“They just came in playing good basketball, making shots, playing good defense and getting out in transition,” Leonard said. “And that’s where we kind of struggled tonight with transition points, I believe, and them getting into the paint.”
Leonard finished with a team-high 24 points – his 53rd consecutive game of at least 20 points – to go with six rebounds and five assists.
Mathurin had 18 points and shot 8 for 8 from the free-throw line, while John Collins posted 15 points and six rebounds. Point guard Darius Garland had another quiet night with 11 points on 5-of-17 shooting (1 for 8 from 3-point range).
The Clippers struggled as a group from the perimeter, shooting just 5 for 26 (19.2%) from behind the arc on a night when they shot 43% from the field.
The Spurs – who shot 12 for 31 from 3-point range – capitalized on the Clippers’ poor shooting to extend a 33-25 first-quarter lead to 52-31.
Garland finally made his first 3-pointer to stop the Spurs’ run but, like his teammates, couldn’t sustain any momentum at either end of the court. The Spurs – who made 20 of their first 28 shots – shot 63.6% from the field in the first half and drained half of their 3-point attempts, while the Clippers shot just 38.8% overall and 2 for 14 from deep.
De’Aaron Fox had 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists to pace the Spurs. Stephon Castle chipped in 20 points and Dylan Harper added 19 off the bench.
Like his players, Lue said consecutive losses just “happen.”
“We got beat by two good teams. We just won five in a row before these two, so it’s going to happen,” Lue said. “The last two games were probably more disappointing than anything, just the physicality that both teams brought that we couldn’t counter.”