Clippers Skid Grows, Suns Surge, Rockets Dominate Glass, Wembanyama Leads Spurs Fans
western-conference-roundup-clippers-suns-rockets-spurs
The Los Angeles Clippers’ slide continued Saturday night, falling at home to the struggling Dallas Mavericks and dropping to 5-15. The defeat was the club’s fourth straight since Kawhi Leonard returned from injury, dashing coach Tyronn Lue’s hope that the star forward would reverse the team’s fortunes.
“We’ve had tough circumstances the last five – really six – years, and I’ve usually figured it out, but this year it’s been tough,” Lue said after the loss. According to The Orange County Register, Lue has shuffled numerous lineups through 20 games without finding a solution. With an aging, banged-up roster, online calls for sweeping changes — including Lue’s dismissal — have grown louder.
James Harden echoed the frustration. “We’re not making shots offensively,” he said. “Defensively, we allow game-plan mistakes too many times, and that’s one of the reasons we lose games.”
Suns Exceed Early Expectations
Phoenix, widely projected to miss the 2025-26 postseason, has rebounded from a 1-4 start by winning 11 of its last 16. At 12-9, the Suns sit seventh in the Western Conference despite a series of injuries that have kept key players in and out of the lineup, reports The Arizona Republic.
Rockets Ride Rebounding to Elite Offense
The Houston Rockets own the NBA’s second-ranked offense at 13-4 while attempting the league’s fewest three-pointers and converting poorly inside the arc, notes The Athletic. Houston compensates by crashing the boards, outrebounding opponents by more than 10 per game, with most of those extra possessions coming on the offensive glass.
Wembanyama Inspires From Sidelines
San Antonio rookie Victor Wembanyama, sidelined by a calf strain, has turned into the Spurs’ most vocal supporter. The French center organized and leads a fan section he dubbed “The Jackals,” hand-picking its captains during the summer, writes The San Antonio Express-News. “He’s been committed and invested,” coach Mitch Johnson said. “His actions back up his words. It’s awesome.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
