The last tThe last time the San Antonio Spurs faced the Los Angeles Clippers, we saw a viscerally emotional Victor Wembanyama. The 25-point comeback on the second night of a back-to-back was one of the hardest games of Wembanyama’s life, according to him. Now the Spurs will be better rested as they travel to Los Angeles for a rematch with the Clippers, and the first game of a back-to-back.
They’ll face a far different Clippers team on Monday. Kawhi Leonard is doubtful for the game as he recovers from an ankle injury. San Antonio will be without Dylan Harper, who misses his second game with a calf contusion, and Luke Kornet, who will sit with knee soreness.
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Even without Leonard, the Clippers are still a tough defensive team. But it’s tough to imagine Los Angeles creating too much offense without their star. Wembanyama and the Spurs will look to build off their convincing win against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday with a road victory against a Clippers squad that has won seven of its last ten games.
March 16th, 2026 | 9 PM CTWatch: Peacock| Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Dylan Harper – Out (calf), Luke Kornet – Out (knee), Harrison Ingram – Questionable (G League), David Jones-Garcia – Out (G League), Emanuel Miller – Questionable (G League)
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Clippers Injuries: Bradley Beal – Out (hip), Kawhi Leonard – Doubtful (ankle), Yanic Konan Niederhauser – Out (foot)
What to watch for:Mason Plumlee minutes
Wembanyama has been playing more minutes, especially in closer games. He logged 38 minutes against Detroit and 36 minutes against Boston. Without Kornet, he could be tasked with more minutes on Monday night. That will likely come down to how effective Mason Plumlee is in his backup minutes. Plumlee has looked solid in his limited minutes so far. He’s adept at operating dribble handoffs and hasn’t been a defensive liability. He’s a bit undersized, which may hurt him against the larger bigs on the Clippers like Brook Lopez. Plumlee’s ability to keep things close while Wembanyama sits will be a crucial aspect of the game.
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Controlling the rebounding battle
The Clippers are one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA. They are 29th in total rebounding and 26th in offensive boards. There is a distinct advantage for the Spurs, who are one of the best teams in the league at attacking the glass. Losing Kornet certainly doesn’t help, but against a poor rebounding team like Los Angeles, the Spurs should have plenty of bodies to secure extra offensive possessions and secure stops on the other end.
Playing fast
San Antonio has looked great when they can get up and down. The Clippers are one of the slowest-paced teams in the NBA, and they don’t turn the ball over a ton. The Spurs can apply defensive pressure and move quickly off missed shots and giveaways to attack Los Angeles before they can set their defense. Especially with Leonard sitting, and the offensive hierarchy of the Clippers getting thrown off, the Spurs have an opportunity to create a bit of chaos in Los Angeles by getting up and down to score easy buckets.