It was a tale of two halves for the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2025-26 season.
Holding a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter of a play-in game, the Clippers looked primed to advance.
That changed when the Golden State Warriors knocked down eight 3-pointers in the final quarter, with point guard Stephen Curry’s clutch playmaking ending Los Angeles’ playoff hopes.
The loss marked an end to a roller coaster of the season for the Clippers.
They entered the year with big goals. Forward Kawhi Leonard and point guard James Harden returned for another season to lead a veteran roster, and the organization made key additions over the offseason to bolster needs.
All that experience meant championship aspirations were not far out of reach.
Those expectations were quickly halted with an abysmal 6-21 start to the season — one of the roughest stretches in franchise history.
The team just couldn’t catch a break. Injuries became an issue and Los Angeles underwent big midseason shifts to the roster. Guard Bradley Beal, a big addition over the offseason, suffered a season-ending hip injury after playing just six games. The Clippers also said goodbye to legendary point guard Chris Paul.
Despite being such a veteran heavy roster, the team struggled with chemistry on the floor.
Lots of people had counted the Clippers out. That was until the team made one of the most impressive turnarounds of the season to finish 42-40 on the year.
The resiliency of this team was on full display throughout a late push that ended up falling short of the playoffs. They won 16 of 19 games at one point in the season and climbed back to being above .500.
In one of the biggest midseason moves, the Clippers traded away Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in return for guard Darius Garland. This was a move that surprisingly ended up saving the Clippers season.
Garland was an efficient producer on offense, dishing the ball out well and showing up in big moments when the Clippers needed him to. He averaged 19 points per game with seven assists this year.
Longtime Clipper center Ivica Zubac also departed at the trade deadline to the Indiana Pacers in return for guard Benedict Mathurin who has been a solid sixth man.
A lot of credit has to be given to Leonard who stepped up to lead the charge night after night for the Clippers. He was a catalyst on both sides of the floor and the team’s most consistent performer.
It was a tough season but there were a lot of positive takeaways at the end of the year. The team now shifts gears to the offseason, looking to address roster needs and build a more competitive team for next year.