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Darius Garland offered a blunt assessment after the Los Angeles Clippers’ late-game collapse in a 126-121 play-in loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday at Intuit Dome. The guard pointed directly to execution issues down the stretch, saying, “Contested threes. Not a lot of good possessions for us.”
Garland emphasized spacing breakdowns and late-game decision-making as the momentum shifted. He added, “Space was kind of messed up a little bit with the dump from on Kawhi. That was it. But yeah, 30 did what 30 does, bro. So yeah, that’s the fourth quarter for you.”
The Clippers held a 13-point lead entering the final quarter but allowed Golden State to close on a 16-6 run. Garland pointed to possession quality as the key swing factor late in the game.
He said, “Couple bad possessions for us which ended up in turnovers to Albert threes. But everybody know the main focus is on that team. So we’d rather have someone else beat us than him, even though he did do his thing down the stretch.”
Garland also pointed to execution gaps and limited preparation in late-game scenarios. “We did take our foot off the gas a little bit,” he said. “Just haven’t had the time and the practice time to really go over those late game situations. I believe we’re just going off all instincts and basketball knowledge.”
Golden State’s experience in high-pressure moments became a deciding factor as Stephen Curry scored 35 points and Al Horford added key fourth-quarter three-pointers. Garland acknowledged that contrast in closing execution.
He said, “That’s the championship energy that they have over there. We did take our foot off the gas a little bit.”
Despite the outcome, Garland reflected on the season’s turnaround after a difficult start for the Clippers. “It was fun for the time I’ve been here. I know they was in a dark hole early in the season,” he said. “Actually making it this far and being able to be in the playing game shows a lot of credit to the group and coaching staff.”
He also credited the organization and roster depth throughout the year. “Everybody played their butts off and they played really, really hard,” Garland said. “Everybody in this organization is super cool. Everybody comes to work with a smile on their face.”
Garland addressed his own season journey after being traded midyear and dealing with injury limitations. “It’s my first trade, so I didn’t know what to really expect,” he said. “I’m out there on nine toes. Not even healthy for real.”
Looking ahead, Garland expressed confidence in his standing among elite guards and in his long-term role. “Just think I’m up there with some of the top guys in this league,” he said, while also noting offseason alignment discussions with the team about system direction and roster construction.
