Why Clippers Can Still Bounce Back After Four-Game Losing Streak

Nobody would blame a fan of the Los Angeles Clippers for feeling worried.

After an easy 121-96 win over the Sacramento Kings on opening night, the Clippers have dropped four in a row, and the latest was a 127-101 loss in Minnesota on Friday.

The four losses came against the Lakers twice, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Two of those were close, with a 125-117 loss to the Lakers and a 108-101 loss in Oklahoma City, but the last two got away from them.

The Lakers won 103-87 at Intuit Dome, and Friday's loss in Minnesota left plenty to look back on and fix.

Guard Darius Garland scored 24 points on 10-of-22 shooting in that one but also had five turnovers, while center Brook Lopez added 13 points off the bench.

Turnovers have been the story of this start, as Garland's five in Minnesota added to a league-leading 5.6 turnovers per game, according to The Sporting Tribune.

Guard Kris Dunn put it plainly after the loss to the Lakers on Oct. 28.

"I think over the four games defensively we've done a lot of good things and we are causing turnovers, but we are just giving it back," Dunn said. "If we can execute when we do cause turnovers or when we are in the half-court offense and execute, we give ourselves more than a great chance to win these ball games. ... If we can cut down the turnovers, what could the record look like?"

Dunn has a point, because turnovers are a problem that can be fixed with time and reps, and he believes the defense is already doing a lot of good things.

Much of this roster is new, and Garland has already defended his team after the slow start, which tells me the locker room is not giving up on anything.

The Clippers have also been playing without two players who were brought in to help.

Forward Brandon Ingram, who came over from Toronto in the Kawhi Leonard trade, had heel surgery and a partially torn right Achilles, and Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints projected a return sometime in November or early December.

Guard Max Strus has also been out with a foot injury.

Getting even one of them back would give the Clippers another scorer and take some pressure off Garland.

Rookie guard Keaton Wagler is also going through some early growing pains, but Dunn has backed the young guard, and I expect his shot to come around as the games pile up.

There are still 77 games left, and a four-game skid in late October is not going to decide the season.

The schedule stays tough, with a game at Golden State on Sunday, a home game against Toronto on Monday and Miami coming to Intuit Dome on Wednesday.

The Warriors will be without guard Stephen Curry and forward Draymond Green on Sunday, so the Clippers will have a chance to steal one.

I believe this team is better than 1-4, and once the turnovers come down and Ingram gets back on the floor, this start will look like a bump in the road.