Darius Garland's Clippers Tenure Took a Downturn at the Worst Possible Time

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Clippers looked like they were headed to the playoffs. They had a 1.5-game lead over the Blazers for the No.8 seed, they were in the midst of a five-game winning streak, and Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland were playing out of their minds. After two consecutive losses to Portland and San Antonio, the Clippers have made things difficult for themselves in their playoff pursuit.

More importantly, however, Garland has struggled immensely in back-to-back games. After shooting 7/17 for 20 points, four assists, and five turnovers against the Blazers on Tuesday, Garland followed that up with 5/17 from the field and 1/8 from three against the Spurs. The 26-year-old point guard finished with 11 points and three assists in 29 minutes of action for his worst game as a Clipper. In the last two games, the Clippers were a disappointing -26 when Garland was on the floor.

After the game, Garland left without speaking to reporters once again, per Clippers insider Joey Linn. The reason for this is currently unknown, but one has to wonder whether he is dealing with something that is negatively impacting his performance.

Darius Garland left before the Clippers locker room was open to reporters. He’s left the last two games without speaking.
— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) April 3, 2026

Clippers Desperately Need a Better Darius Garland to Have a Shot at Playoffs

The Clippers are extremely dependent on Garland on the offensive side of the ball. If Garland isn't producing at an elite level, too much offensive burden falls on Kawhi Leonard's shoulders, since the team lacks high-level shot creators outside the star duo. Garland's pick-and-roll ability and off-the-dribble shooting unlock the rest of the Clippers' offense. The bigs and the shooters on the roster depend on Garland to create good shots for them. So when Garland isn't playing well, the Clippers' offense can fall off a cliff. It isn't a coincidence that the Clippers had a disastrous 104.5 offensive rating against San Antonio when Garland struggled with his shot.

The downturn in Garland's performance couldn't have come at a worse time. The Clippers have only five games left in the season before they have to partake in the Play-In Tournament to determine whether they will make the playoffs. Next Friday's game against the Blazers on the road will likely determine whether the Clippers finish the regular season eighth or ninth.

To have a chance at finishing out the season strong and defeating Portland on the road, the Clippers need Garland to be at his best. Otherwise, LA will struggle to score against elite defenses, which will hurt their playoff viability.