2021–22 Los Angeles Clippers season explained

The 2021–22 Los Angeles Clippers season was the 52nd season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), their 44th season in Southern California and their 38th season in Los Angeles. The Clippers qualified for the postseason via the play-in, but failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018 after being defeated by both the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in tournament, who coincidentally made their first playoff appearances since 2018.^[1] It is also the first time in Kawhi Leonard's career that his team missed the playoffs, however, he did not feature at all for the Clippers during the season due to injury.

Draft

See main article: article and 2021 NBA draft.

Roster

Roster notes

• Point guard Jason Preston missed the entire season due to a right foot injury.
• Small forward Kawhi Leonard missed the entire season due to a knee injury.
• Point guard Eric Bledsoe made his second tour of duty with team having played for them from 2010 to 2013. He played in 54 games before getting traded away in February.

Standings

Conference

Game log

Preseason

|-style="background:#cfc;"| 1| October 4| Denver| | Terance Mann (14)| Harry Giles III (12)| Terance Mann (5)| Staples Center
7,825| 1–0|-style="background:#fcc;"| 2| October 6| Sacramento| | Brandon Boston Jr. (20)| Brandon Boston Jr. (7)| Eric Bledsoe (4)| Staples Center
8,122| 1–1|-style="background:#fcc;"| 3| October 8| @ Dallas| | Luke Kennard (19)| Giles III, Hartenstein (8)| George, Hartenstein (5)| American Airlines Center
17,853| 1–2|-style="background:#fcc;"| 4| October 11| Minnesota| | Luke Kennard (18)| Ivica Zubac (9)| Eric Bledsoe (5)| Toyota Arena
4,850| 1–3

Regular season

|-style="background:#fcc;"| 1| October 21| @ Golden State| | Paul George (29)| Paul George (11)| George, Jackson (6)| Chase Center
18,064| 0–1|-style="background:#fcc;"| 2| October 23| Memphis| | Paul George (41)| Paul George (10)| Eric Bledsoe (7)| Staples Center
16,748| 0–2|-style="background:#cfc;"| 3| October 25| Portland| | Luke Kennard (23)| Ivica Zubac (8)| Eric Bledsoe (7)| Staples Center
15,672| 1–2|-style="background:#fcc;"| 4| October 27| Cleveland| | Batum, Jackson (16)| Paul George (10)| Bledsoe, Jackson, Kennard, Mann (3)| Staples Center
13,276| 1–3|-style="background:#fcc;"| 5| October 29| @ Portland| | Paul George (42)| Nicolas Batum (9)| Jackson, Mann (4)| Moda Center
16,510| 1–4|-style="background:#cfc;"| 6| November 1| Oklahoma City| | Paul George (32)| Isaiah Hartenstein (12)| Paul George (7)| Staples Center
13,722| 2–4|-style="background:#cfc;"| 7| November 3| @ Minnesota| | Paul George (32)| George, Zubac (6)| George, Jackson (8)| Target Center
15,386| 3–4|-style="background:#cfc;"| 8| November 5| @ Minnesota| | Paul George (21)| Ivica Zubac (14)| Paul George (6)| Target Center
17,136| 4–4|-style="background:#cfc;"| 9| November 7| Charlotte| | Paul George (20)| Ivica Zubac (11)| Paul George (8)| Staples Center
15,781| 5–4|-style="background:#cfc;"| 10| November 9| Portland| | Paul George (24)| Paul George (9)| Paul George (7)| Staples Center
14,131| 6–4|-style="background:#cfc;"| 11| November 11| Miami| | Paul George (27)| Ivica Zubac (11)| Paul George (5)| Staples Center
16,150| 7–4|-style="background:#cfc;"| 12| November 13| Minnesota| | Paul George (23)| Hartenstein, Zubac (12)| Eric Bledsoe (9)| Staples Center
15,285| 8–4|-style="background:#fcc;"| 13| November 14| Chicago| | Paul George (27)| Paul George (11)| Paul George (4)| Staples Center
17,899| 8–5|-style="background:#cfc;"| 14| November 16| San Antonio| | Paul George (34)| Paul George (13)| George, Jackson (4)| Staples Center
13,298| 9–5|-style="background:#fcc;"| 15| November 18| @ Memphis| | Paul George (23)| Ivica Zubac (7)| Paul George (6)| FedExForum
13,419| 9–6|-style="background:#fcc;"| 16| November 19| @ New Orleans| | Paul George (19)| Ivica Zubac (11)| Paul George (6)| Smoothie King Center
15,274| 9–7|-style="background:#cfc;"| 17| November 21| Dallas| | Paul George (29)| Ivica Zubac (10)| Paul George (6)| Staples Center
17,149| 10–7|-style="background:#fcc;"| 18| November 23| Dallas| | Reggie Jackson (31)| Paul George (6)| Reggie Jackson (10) | Staples Center
17,067| 10–8|-style="background:#cfc;"| 19| November 26| Detroit| | Reggie Jackson (21)| Ivica Zubac (13)| George, Jackson, Kennard (4)| Staples Center
18,139| 11–8|-style="background:#fcc;"| 20| November 28| Golden State| | Paul George (30)| Eric Bledsoe (10)| George, Morris (5)| Staples Center
19,068| 11–9|-style="background:#fcc;"| 21| November 29| New Orleans| | Paul George (27)| Terance Mann (7)| Terance Mann (5)| Staples Center
15,691| 11–10|-style="background:#fcc;"| 22| December 1| Sacramento| | Kennard, Mann (19)| Isaiah Hartenstein (8)| Reggie Jackson (6)| Staples Center
17,217| 11–11|-style="background:#cfc;"| 23| December 3| @ L. A. Lakers| | Marcus Morris (21)| Paul George (8)| Paul George (9)| Staples Center
18,997| 12–11|-style="background:#fcc;"| 24| December 4| @ Sacramento| | Marcus Morris (21)| Ivica Zubac (11)| Paul George (10)| Golden 1 Center
15,004| 12–12|-style="background:#cfc;"| 25| December 6| @ Portland| | Paul George (21)| Paul George (8)| Reggie Jackson (6)| Moda Center
15,865| 13–12|-style="background:#cfc;"| 26| December 8| Boston| | Brandon Boston Jr. (27)| Mann, Zubac (10)| Reggie Jackson (7)| Staples Center
17,064| 14–12|-style="background:#cfc;"| 27| December 11| Orlando| | Reggie Jackson (25)| Terance Mann (9)| Bledsoe, Hartenstein, Kennard (5)| Staples Center
17,156| 15–12|-style="background:#cfc;"| 28| December 13| Phoenix| | Marcus Morris (24)| Marcus Morris (11)| Isaiah Hartenstein (7)| Staples Center
17,909| 16–12|-style="background:#fcc;"| 29| December 15| @ Utah| | Marcus Morris (24)| Marcus Morris (8)| Reggie Jackson (9)| Vivint Arena
18,306| 16–13|-style="background:#fcc;"| 30| December 18| @ Oklahoma| | Luke Kennard (27)| Justise Winslow (9)| Reggie Jackson (10)| Paycom Center
15,123| 16–14|-style="background:#fcc;"| 31| December 20| San Antonio| | Paul George (25)| Ivica Zubac (12)| Paul George (6)| Staples Center
18,096| 16–15|-style="background:#cfc;"| 32| December 22| @ Sacramento| | Eric Bledsoe (19)| Eric Bledsoe (8)| Eric Bledsoe (7)| Golden 1 Center
15,386| 17–15|-style="background:#fcc;"| 33| December 26| Denver| | Bledsoe, Boston Jr. (18) | Ivica Zubac (11)| Eric Bledsoe (10) | Crypto.com Arena
17,759| 17–16|-style="background:#fcc;"| 34| December 27| Brooklyn| | Marcus Morris (25)| Winslow, Zubac (9)| Bledsoe, Morris (6)| Crypto.com Arena
17,128| 17–17 |-style="background:#cfc;"| 35| December 29| Boston| | Marcus Morris (23)| Ivica Zubac (14)| Bledsoe, Kennard (4)| TD Garden
19,156| 18–17|-style="background:#fcc;"| 36| December 31| @ Toronto| | Marcus Morris (20)| Terance Mann (11)| Bledsoe, Kennard (6)| Scotiabank Arena
0| 18–18|-style="background:#cfc;"| 37| January 1| @ Brooklyn| | Eric Bledsoe (27)| Amir Coffey (8)| Amir Coffey (5)| Barclays Center
17,732| 19–18|-style="background:#fcc;"| 38| January 3| Minnesota| | Serge Ibaka (17)| Amir Coffey (5)| Eric Bledsoe (5)| Crypto.com Arena
15,959| 19–19|-style="background:#fcc;"| 39| January 6| @ Phoenix| | Marcus Morris (26)| Jackson, Morris (8)| Terance Mann (4)| Footprint Center
17,071| 19–20|-style="background:#fcc;"| 40| January 8| Memphis| | Marcus Morris (29)| Mann, Morris (8)| Amir Coffey (3)| Crypto.com Arena
17,936| 19–21|-style="background:#cfc;"| 41| January 9| Atlanta| | Amir Coffey (21)| Ivica Zubac (13)| Eric Bledsoe (7)| Crypto.com Arena
14,836| 20–21|-style="background:#cfc;"| 42| January 11| Denver| | Amir Coffey (18)| Serge Ibaka (9)| Eric Bledsoe (9)| Crypto.com Arena
15,077| 21–21|-style="background:#fcc;"| 43| January 13| @ New Orleans| | Terance Mann (15)| Coffey, Ibaka, Jackson (6)| Amir Coffey (5)| Smoothie King Center
15,406| 21–22|-style="background:#fcc;"| 44| January 15| @ San Antonio| | Amir Coffey (20)| Serge Ibaka (10)| Bledsoe, Morris (5)| AT&T Center
13,223| 21–23|-style="background:#cfc;"| 45| January 17| Indiana| | Nicolas Batum (32)| Marcus Morris (8)| Amir Coffey (7)| Crypto.com Arena
15,080| 22–23|-style="background:#fcc;"| 46| January 19| @ Denver| | Ivica Zubac (32)| Ivica Zubac (10)| Reggie Jackson (12)| Ball Arena
14,547| 22–24|-style="background:#cfc;"| 47| January 21| @ Philadelphia| | Reggie Jackson (19)| Ivica Zubac (10)| Reggie Jackson (9)| Wells Fargo Center
20,182| 23–24|-style="background:#fcc;"| 48| January 23| @ New York| | Reggie Jackson (26)| Ivica Zubac (14)| Eric Bledsoe (6)| Madison Square Garden
19,812| 23–25|-style="background:#cfc;"| 49| January 25| @ Washington| | Amir Coffey (29)| Luke Kennard (8)| Kennard, Hartenstein (6)| Capital One Arena
13,544| 24–25|-style="background:#cfc;"| 50| January 26| @ Orlando| | Amir Coffey (19)| Nicolas Batum (8)| Amir Coffey (5)| Amway Center
12,448| 25–25|-style="background:#fcc;"| 51| January 28| @ Miami| | Luke Kennard (23)| Justise Winslow (10)| Eric Bledsoe (6)| FTX Arena
19,600| 25–26|-style="background:#cfc;"| 52| January 30| @ Charlotte| | Jackson, Boston Jr (19)| Zubac, Kennard (10)| Reggie Jackson (5)| Spectrum Center
18,674| 26–26|-style="background:#fcc"| 53| January 31| @ Indiana| | Amir Coffey (27)| Serge Ibaka (11)| Reggie Jackson (5)| Gainbridge Fieldhouse
14,629| 26–27|-style="background:#cfc;"| 54| February 3| L.A. Lakers| | Marcus Morris (29)| Serge Ibaka (9)| Eric Bledsoe (7)| Crypto.com Arena
19,068| 27–27|-style="background:#fcc;"| 55| February 6| Milwaukee| | Norman Powell (28)| Marcus Morris (8)| Jackson, Mann (5)| Crypto.com Arena
17,395| 27–28|-style="background:#fcc;"| 56| February 8| @ Memphis| | Isaiah Hartenstein (19)| Hartenstein, Zubac (7)| Terance Mann (7)| FedEx Forum
16,101| 27–29|-style="background:#fcc;"| 57| February 10| @ Dallas| | Marcus Morris (21)| Norman Powell (6)| Reggie Jackson (8)| American Airlines Center
19,532| 27–30|-style="background:#cfc;"| 58| February 12| @ Dallas| | Reggie Jackson (24)| Ivica Zubac (10)| Reggie Jackson (8)| American Airlines Center
20,028| 28–30|-style="background:#cfc;"| 59| February 14| Golden State| | Terance Mann (25)| Zubac, Jackson, Batum (8)| Reggie Jackson (9)| Crypto.com Arena
19,068| 29–30|-style="background:#fcc;"| 60| February 15| @ Phoenix| | Marcus Morris (23)| Ivica Zubac (13)| Reggie Jackson (8)| Footprint Center
17,071| 29–31|-style="background:#cfc;"| 61| February 17| Houston| | Marcus Morris (27)| Ivica Zubac (10)| Reggie Jackson (14)| Crypto.com Arena
17,519| 30–31|- align="center"|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break|-style="background:#cfc;"| 62| February 25| @ L.A. Lakers| | Terance Mann (19)| Terance Mann (10)| Jackson, Hartenstein (6)| Crypto.com Arena
19,068| 31-31|-style="background:#cfc;"| 63| February 27| @ Houston| | Reggie Jackson (26)| Ivica Zubac (15)| Reggie Jackson (6)| Toyota Center
14,324| 32–31|-style="background:#cfc;"| 64| March 1| @ Houston| | Ivica Zubac (22)| Ivica Zubac (12)| Reggie Jackson (6)| Toyota Center
12,949| 33–31|-style="background:#cfc;"| 65| March 3| L.A. Lakers| | Reggie Jackson (36)| Ivica Zubac (9)| Reggie Jackson (9)| Crypto.com Arena
19,068| 34–31|-style="background:#fcc;"| 66| March 6| New York| | Amir Coffey (16)| Ivica Zubac (9) | Hartenstein, Jackson, Mann (4)| Crypto.com Arena
17,422| 34–32|-style="background:#fcc;"| 67| March 8| @ Golden State| | Nicolas Batum (17)| Ivica Zubac (9) | Reggie Jackson (7)| Chase Center
18,064| 34–33|-style="background:#cfc;"| 68| March 9| Washington| | Reggie Jackson (31)| Zubac, Mann (9)| Reggie Jackson (7)| Crypto.com Arena
15,282| 35–33|-style="background:#fcc;"| 69| March 11| @ Atlanta| | Jackson, Zubac (24)| Ivica Zubac (12)| Reggie Jackson (5)| State Farm Arena
16,862| 35–34|-style="background:#cfc;"| 70| March 13| @ Detroit| | Marcus Morris (31)| Ivica Zubac (15)| Reggie Jackson (9)| Little Caesars Arena
19,313| 36–34|-style="background:#fcc;"| 71| March 14| @ Cleveland| | Ivica Zubac (24)| Ivica Zubac (14)| Nicolas Batum (6)| Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
18,742| 36–35|-style="background:#fcc;"| 72| March 16| Toronto| | Reggie Jackson (23)| Terance Mann (9)| Reggie Jackson (9)| Crypto.com Arena
19,068| 36–36|-style="background:#fcc;"| 73| March 18| @ Utah| | Robert Covington (18)| Isaiah Hartenstein (9)| Isaiah Hartenstein (8)| Vivint Arena
18,306| 36–37|-style="background:#fcc;"| 74| March 22| @ Denver| | Terance Mann (24)| Terance Mann (8)| Reggie Jackson (6)| Ball Arena
16,089| 36–38|-style="background:#fcc;"| 75| March 25| Philadelphia| | Amir Coffey (21)| Isaiah Hartenstein (9)| Ivica Zubac (6)| Crypto.com Arena
19,068| 36–39|-style="background:#cfc;"| 76| March 29| Utah| | Paul George (34)| Isaiah Hartenstein (7)| George, Hartenstein (6)| Crypto.com Arena
19,068| 37–39|-style="background:#fcc"| 77| March 31| @ Chicago| | Reggie Jackson (34)| Ivica Zubac (9)| Reggie Jackson (7)| United Center
21,519| 37–40|-style="background:#cfc"| 78| April 1| @ Milwaukee| | Robert Covington (43)| Isaiah Hartenstein (10)| Amir Coffey (7)| Fiserv Forum
18,023| 38–40|-style="background:#cfc"| 79| April 3| New Orleans| | Marcus Morris (22)| Ivica Zubac (14)| Reggie Jackson (10)| Crypto.com Arena
16,840| 39–40|-style="background:#cfc"| 80| April 6| Phoenix| | Norman Powell (24)| Ivica Zubac (11)| Isaiah Hartenstein (5)| Crypto.com Arena
19,068| 40-40|-style="background:#cfc"| 81| April 9| Sacramento| | Paul George (23)| Ivica Zubac (12)| Paul George (12)| Crypto.com Arena
17,568| 41–40|-style="background:#cfc"| 82| April 10| Oklahoma City| | Amir Coffey (35)| Amir Coffey (13)| Xavier Moon (7)| Crypto.com Arena
18,210| 42–40

Play-in

|- style="background:#fcc;"| 1| April 12| @ Minnesota| | Paul George (34)| Ivica Zubac (9)| Jackson, George (5)| Target Center
17,136| 0–1|- style="background:#fcc;"| 2| April 15| New Orleans| | Morris, Jackson (27)| Nicolas Batum (10)| Jackson (8)| Crypto.com Arena
19,068| 0–2

Player statistics

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	81	33	28.6	.484	.365	.780	5.2	2.6	.7	.3	10.8
	76	76	24.4	.626		.727	8.5	1.6	.5	1.0	10.3
	75	75	31.2	.392	.326	.847	3.6	4.8	.7	.2	16.8
	70	13	27.4	.449	.449	.896	3.3	2.1	.6	.1	11.9
	69	30	22.7	.453	.378	.863	2.9	1.8	.6	.2	9.0
	68	0	17.9	.626	.467	.689	4.9	2.4	.7	1.1	8.3
	59	54	24.8	.463	.400	.658	4.3	1.7	1.0	.7	8.3
	54	54	29.0	.434	.367	.872	4.4	2.1	.5	.3	15.4
	54	29	25.2	.421	.313	.761	3.4	4.2	1.3	.4	9.9
	51	0	14.9	.385	.306	.819	2.2	1.0	.5	.3	6.7
†	37	1	13.0	.447	.172	.610	3.6	1.4	.6	.5	4.2
†	35	10	15.4	.490	.387	.690	4.3	1.0	.2	.7	6.6
	31	31	34.7	.421	.354	.858	6.9	5.7	2.2	.4	24.3
†	23	2	22.1	.500	.450	.848	5.1	1.0	1.3	1.2	10.4
	18	0	6.7	.391	.286	.700	.9	.4	.2	.2	2.7
†	15	0	9.0	.333	.273	.762	1.4	.9	.5	.1	3.5
†	13	0	9.8	.462	.545	.800	.8	.6	.2	.2	2.6
	10	0	13.7	.490	.357	.600	1.4	2.4	.7	.3	5.8
†	10	0	9.8	.414	.444	.813	1.6	.4	.2	.1	4.1
†	6	0	7.7	.385	.400	.500	2.3	.3	.2	.3	2.3
†	5	2	25.0	.508	.542	.857	2.8	2.8	.4	.8	21.4
†	2	0	14.0	.636	.500	1.000	2.5	.0	.5	.5	10.0
†	1	0	1.0				.0	1.0	.0	.0	.0

Transactions

See main article: article and List of 2021–22 NBA season transactions.

Trades

July 29, 2021[2]	To Los Angeles Clippers Draft rights to Keon Johnson (No. 21)	To New York Knicks Draft rights to Quentin Grimes (No. 25) 2024 DET second-round pick
July 29, 2021[3]	To Los Angeles Clippers Draft rights to Jason Preston (No. 33)	To Orlando Magic 2026 DET second-round pick Cash considerations
August 7, 2021[4]	To Los Angeles Clippers Draft rights to Brandon Boston Jr. (No. 51)	To New Orleans Pelicans 2022 SAC protected second-round pick Cash considerations
August 16, 2021	To Los Angeles Clippers Eric Bledsoe	To Memphis Grizzlies Patrick Beverley Rajon Rondo Daniel Oturu
February 4, 2022	To Los Angeles Clippers Robert Covington Norman Powell	To Portland Trail Blazers Eric Bledsoe Keon Johnson Justise Winslow 2025 DET 2nd-round pick
February 10, 2022	To Los Angeles Clippers Rodney Hood (from Milwaukee) Semi Ojeleye (from Milwaukee) Draft rights to Vanja Marinkovic (from Sacramento)	To Milwaukee Bucks Serge Ibaka (from Los Angeles) 2023 2nd-round pick (from Detroit) 2024 POR 2nd-round pick (from Detroit) Cash considerations
To Detroit Pistons Marvin Bagley III (from Sacramento)	To Sacramento Kings Donte DiVincenzo (from Milwaukee) Josh Jackson (from Detroit) Trey Lyles (from Detroit) Draft rights to David Michineau (from Los Angeles) 2024 SAC 2nd-round pick (from Detroit)

Free agency

Re-signed

Player	Signed
Reggie Jackson[5]	August 11, 2021
Kawhi Leonard[6]	August 12, 2021
Nicolas Batum[7]	August 13, 2021
Amir Coffey	September 27, 2021, Two-way contract

Additions

Player	Signed	Former team
Justise Winslow[8]	August 8, 2021
Isaiah Hartenstein	September 27, 2021	Cleveland Cavaliers
Moses Wright	December 21, 2021, 10-day contract	Agua Caliente Clippers
Xavier Moon	December 26, 2021, 1st 10-day contract January 4, 2022, 2nd 10-day contract January 14, 2022, 3rd 10-day contract March 26, 2022, Two-way contract	Agua Caliente Clippers
James Ennis III	December 29, 2021, 10-day contract	Brooklyn Nets
Wenyen Gabriel	December 31, 2021, 1st 10-day contract January 11, 2022, 2nd 10-day contract	Brooklyn Nets

Subtractions

Player	Reason left	New team
Patrick Patterson	Free agency	Portland Trail Blazers
Yogi Ferrell	Waived	Panathinaikos
DeMarcus Cousins	Free agency
Moses Wright	Contract expired, December 31, 2021
James Ennis III	Contract expired, January 8, 2022
Wenyen Gabriel	Contract expired, January 21, 2022
Xavier Moon	Contract expired, January 24, 2022
Semi Ojeleye	Waived, March 26, 2022

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pelicans eliminate Clippers, will play Suns . The Athletic . 16 April 2022 . en.
2. Web site: LA Clippers Acquire Draft Rights To Keon Johnson. NBA.com. July 29, 2021. July 30, 2021.
3. Web site: LA Clippers Acquire Draft Rights To Jason Preston. NBA.com. July 29, 2021. July 30, 2021.
4. Web site: LA Clippers Acquire Draft Rights To Brandon Boston Jr.. NBA.com. August 7, 2021. August 7, 2021.
5. Web site: LA Clippers Re-Sign Reggie Jackson. NBA.com. August 11, 2021. August 11, 2021.
6. Web site: LA Clippers Re-Sign Five-Time NBA All-Star Kawhi Leonard. NBA.com. August 12, 2021. August 12, 2021.
7. Web site: LA Clippers Re-Sign Nicolas Batum. NBA.com. August 13, 2021. August 13, 2021.
8. Web site: LA Clippers Sign Justise Winslow . NBA.com . August 9, 2021 . August 8, 2021.