Coming off a disappointing 126-107 defeat to the unbeaten Oklahoma City Thunder, the LA Clippers are facing hard questions about their roster stability and early-season struggles. Following the loss, forward Derrick Jones Jr. was outspoken about the team's biggest obstacle.

"It's a tough game when you don't have your full team together at all points," Jones Jr. said in his postgame comments, highlighting the ongoing challenge that has defined the Clippers' rocky start to the season.

Missing Key Pieces Against Thunder

The Clippers entered their matchup against the Thunder shorthanded, missing two of their most important offensive weapons. 

Kawhi Leonard sat out with a right ankle sprain suffered during the previous night's loss to Miami, while Bradley Beal remained sidelined for the third time this season due to right knee injury management.

Without Leonard and Beal, the Clippers struggled to keep pace with the Thunder's high-powered offense led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished with 30 points and 12 assists. 

James Harden did his best to carry the load with 25 points, while John Collins added 17 points in the losing effort.

Jones Jr. himself contributed 16 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Thunder's depth and scoring balance as Oklahoma City improved to a perfect 8-0 record on the season.

Injury Report Continues to Grow

The mounting injuries have forced head coach Tyronn Lue to constantly shuffle his rotations and rely heavily on players like Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kris Dunn, and Collins to fill expanded roles.

Leonard had been playing well before the ankle injury, averaging 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting an efficient 50.5% from the field.

His absence on the second night of a back-to-back was not unexpected given his injury history, but it left a significant void in the Clippers' lineup.

After dropping to 3-4 following the loss to Oklahoma City, the Clippers find themselves in an unfamiliar position near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. The team has lost consecutive home games at Intuit Dome after winning their first three contests in the building, and the inconsistency has been evident both offensively and defensively.

Struggling to Find an Identity

While the Clippers rank highly in steals (3rd in the league with 10.5 per game) and blocks (10th with 5.2 per game), their overall point differential sits at a concerning minus-0.8, good for just 19th in the NBA. The team is averaging only 112.5 points per game, which ranks 26th in the league as well.

Head coach Tyronn Lue continues to experiment with different lineup combinations, searching for the right mix that can keep the team competitive while Beal and Leonard recover from various ailments. The constant juggling act has made it difficult to establish any real rhythm or chemistry on the floor.

As the season moves forward, the Clippers' medical staff will be working overtime to get Leonard, Beal, and others back to full strength.

Until then, players like Harden, Jones Jr., and the supporting cast will need to continue carrying the load and keeping the team afloat in the standings.