Clippers blow double-digit lead vs. Warriors, fall to 0-4 with Russell Westbrook

In an arena packed to nearly its 18,064-seat capacity, no one found themselves consistently surrounded by more room Thursday than Clippers guard Russell Westbrook.

Golden State’s lack of regard for Westbrook’s shooting, in his fourth game since joining the Clippers, was exaggerated from the start of a 115-91 loss to Golden State, the Clippers’ fourth consecutive defeat since the All-Star break.

Inside Chase Center, the tactic was evident from the start in the wide berth afforded by his defender — often Draymond Green, but sometimes a center, as well — sagging off multiple strides in an open invitation for the 30% three-point shooter this season to fire away whenever the Clippers held the ball.

On multiple plays Westbrook dribbled near the top of the three-point arc while the nearest defender waited deep in the paint, more concerned with a Westbrook drive or pass than a shot. He finished with eight points and six assists in 28 minutes.

“Just be aggressive, find ways to be aggressive,” he said of his counters to the strategy. “I thought I did a great job of it in the first half, second half still, we just didn’t make shots. I had opportunities to get up the seam and make plays and anything I needed to do, and I just missed some shots too.”

The strategy of avoidance is not unique in Westbrook’s career but was employed to this extent for the first time as a Clipper, underscored the challenge of spacing with Westbrook, who made three of his 12 shots, and none of the seven he attempted outside the paint.

Yet as has become abundantly clear since the All-Star break ended and a four-game losing streak began, the latest defeat a 115-91 loss to Golden State that leaves the Clippers 33-32, the Clippers’ challenges include, yet are anything but limited to, finding the best uses for their new point guard.

“For us, we just got to stay the course, got to be mentally tough, mentally strong, can’t give in, and just got to be tougher,” coach Tyronn Lue said.

“That’s the bottom line. When stuff doesn’t go your way, it shows you what you’re made of and I’m confident that we have a good team and they have to be the same way, they’ve got to feel the same confidence.

“I don’t care about missed shots, it’s going to happen. You’re going to turn the ball over some, but you can’t give in and my thing is just having that toughness and that mindset that, OK, things are not going well, then let’s do something about it.”

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) is fouled by Golden State Warriors guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) during the first half on Thursday in San Francisco.

(Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)

Westbrook was responsible for two turnovers, but also just two misses, during a game-changing third quarter that saw the Clippers (33-32) commit more turnovers (seven) than make field goals (four for 22), their 16 combined points fewer than the 22 scored alone in the quarter by Golden State guard Jordan Poole. The Clippers led by three when Westbrook went to the bench with 6:05 left in the third quarter. The bottom continued to fall out from there, the quarter’s final 10 minutes seeing a 12-point Clippers lead flip into a 15-point Warriors lead — the third time in four games the Clippers have lost double-digit leads.

The trouble deepened in the fourth quarter, the deficit growing to 16 after Westbrook badly overthrew an entry pass into the post, then Poole made his fifth three-pointer on the next possession after George could not chase him around a screen.

Team owner Steve Ballmer watched the collapse from a courtside seat under a basket.

Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points while George made three of his 15 shots for 11 points. George made one of eight three-pointers while Eric Gordon made two of 10. Norman Powell shot one for nine off the bench.

“We’ve all been in winning situations and we can’t have the — there should be no excuses,” Gordon said. “We got to have better effort, we got to [have] more attention to detail. To me it’s all on us players and we got to bring it more.”

Westbrook displayed in stretches why the Clippers have felt comfortable about his play thus far. Before the Warriors’ defense could get set, he ended one possession with a layup by speeding up the pace in transition, and finished another with a pinpoint pass from the top of the arc to George under the basket for a layup even though the Warriors had again packed the paint.