Clippers' Achilles Heel Made Obvious Once Again in Costly Loss to Blazers

The Los Angeles Clippers were once again outmatched on the glass, and it's becoming a defining trend in the second half of the season.

Mar 31, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) shoots the ball against LA Clippers guard Darius Garland (10) and forward Derrick Jones Jr. (5) in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Clippers fell 114-104 Tuesday night to the Portland Trail Blazers in one of their most important games of the season. This loss was not only disappointing, as it shrunk the Clippers' lead for the eighth seed to half a game, but it was also one LA likely would have won prior to the trade deadline. Throughout the entire 48-minute game, the Blazers dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Clippers 48-30.

Portland grabbed 18 offensive rebounds in the game, which resulted in 32 second-chance points. The lack of center play has been a problem ever since the trade deadline, when the Clippers traded away Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers. The Clippers' hole at the five only became more severe when rookie big man Yanic Konan Niederhäuser had a season-ending foot injury, and now LA has just one big man consistently in their rotation: Brook Lopez.

LA's lack of size was on full display all game as not only did the Blazers dominate on the glass, but they also finished at the rim. In the game, Deni Avdija dominated the paint, and the ease with which he was getting downhill to the basket played a huge factor in his 28-point, 11-rebound night.

The Zubac Trade Continues to Haunt the Clippers

The hole trading Zubac left in LA hasn't just impacted the team on the glass or the way they protect the rim—it has also hurt the Clippers’ offense. With Zu out of the picture, Ty Lue has been forced to roll out lineups that feature either John Collins as a small-ball center or even sometimes Kawhi Leonard playing that role. While this does at times give LA more floor spacing, it also makes Kawhi, who is having an MVP-caliber season, less effective as a scorer. With rebounding and protecting the rim now part of his responsibilities, he isn't as effective as a scorer.

Pair that with the fact that Brook Lopez is already not a great rebounder compared to other centers in the league, and it makes sense why the Clippers have suffered so much on the glass.

In the long run, it appears the Zubac trade will be worth it for LA, especially if Indiana's 2026 first-round pick falls out of the top four and conveys to the Clippers this offseason. But for now, fans may have to accept that the move has done irreversible damage to LA's postseason chances. At one point, giving up offensive rebounds and points in the paint was never a concern for the Clippers, but now it’s become a defining trend of their second half.