Warriors Look to Build on Defensive Turnaround Against a Reeling Clippers Team

By NBA Stat Desk How we produce articles

Golden State's recent defensive form and home-court comfort give it the edge over a Clippers team coming off a rough loss.

LAC @ GSW Nov 2, 2026 at 1:30 AM UTC

The Clippers arrive at Chase Center with a bad result fresh in their minds: a 103-87 loss to the Lakers on Oct. 28. That game was the Clippers' most recent outing, and the Lakers won it without Luka Doncic. Jake LaRavia stepped in with 10 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. A 16-point defeat to a shorthanded opponent raises real questions about the Clippers' offensive rhythm heading into a tough road game.

Golden State is trending the other way. After an 0-3 start, the Warriors have won two straight over the Nuggets and Timberwolves, and the defense is the reason to take that seriously. They held Nikola Jokic to 19 points and Rudy Gobert to 1 point, which suggests a team that has found its schemes and its effort. The Warriors also now begin a six-game home stand after playing four of their first five on the road. Settling into one building should help a group still building chemistry.

The Warriors are far from whole. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are out long-term after surgery, and Kristaps Porzingis is away from the team and reportedly being shopped in trade talks. Gui Santos, a regular starter, is questionable with knee tendinitis after missing the Minnesota game. If he sits, the rotation gets thinner, and the Clippers could find some openings on the wings and the glass.

Still, the Warriors have shown they can win despite those absences, and the Clippers are coming off their worst showing. Expect Golden State's defense to keep the game in the low 100s and the home crowd to help in the fourth quarter. I like the Warriors to grind out a modest win, 109-102.

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