What to Make of Clippers' Seven-Game Losing Streak After Loss to Heat

A season-opening win over the Sacramento Kings feels like a long time ago for the Los Angeles Clippers, who have now lost seven straight games after a 117-116 overtime loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday at Intuit Dome.

The Clippers led by nine after three quarters and were up 101-91 with just over five minutes left in regulation, but Miami answered with a 9-0 run that included steals on turnovers by guard Darius Garland and forward Derrick Jones Jr. Forward Rui Hachimura tied the game at 107 with a free throw with 2.7 seconds left, and Garland's floater put the Clippers up 116-112 with 1:19 left in overtime.

They did not score again, and guard Klay Thompson hit a three with one second left to win it.

Garland scored 26 points with seven assists, Hachimura had 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and center Brook Lopez added 20 points.

That should be enough on most nights, but the Clippers kept giving the ball away, with Garland alone committing six turnovers, and center Bam Adebayo made them pay with 35 points.

Head coach Tyronn Lue knows exactly where the problem is, and he said so after the game, according to The Sporting Tribune.

"We understand what the problem is as far as turning the basketball over, allowing teams to get out in transition," said Lue.

Lue has talked about the turnover issue since at least late October, and the Clippers are averaging 20.1 turnovers per game, the most in the NBA.

They also rank fifth in the league in three-point shooting at 38.2 percent, which shows the offense can work when the Clippers hold onto the ball.

This team is not as bad as 1-7 looks to me, but I also do not see the problem fixing itself.

The Lakers beat them twice and the Thunder beat them once during the skid, which is a tough stretch, but the last two losses came at home against Toronto and Miami, two teams the Clippers should beat.

Health is part of it, too, since forward Brandon Ingram and guard Bradley Beal have yet to play this season, according to the Associated Press, and Ingram came over in the summer trade that sent Kawhi Leonard to Toronto.

Once those two are back, the rotation could look a lot different than it does now.

Garland is the key, because he has been the best player on the floor some nights, but six turnovers in a one-point loss is too many for a lead guard, and he has been open about what has gone wrong.

The Clippers are 13th in the Western Conference and host the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, Nov. 8, before a trip to Phoenix on Nov. 10.

The Clippers are closer than the record says, but close does not count in the standings.

With a normal number of turnovers, I think they would have won at least two of the last three games, and if they do not fix it, this streak could get longer before Ingram and Beal ever get on the floor.