Clippers Blow Massive Lead, Suffer Historic Loss to Spurs

LA's 25-point blown lead is the biggest in franchise history

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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The LA Clippers squandered a 25-point lead in the second half, allowing the San Antonio Spurs to mount an epic comeback and hand the Clippers their first loss when leading by 20 or more at halftime in franchise history.

Why it matters

The Clippers' historic collapse raises questions about their ability to close out games, especially against top Western Conference teams like the Spurs. This loss could have major implications for the Clippers' playoff seeding and momentum heading into a crucial stretch of the season.

The details

The Clippers led the Spurs 69-49 at halftime and extended their advantage to 75-50 early in the second half. However, the Spurs stormed back, led by Julian Champagnie's 17 third-quarter points, to cut the deficit to just 11 entering the fourth quarter. San Antonio then opened the final period on an 18-5 run to take the lead, and held on for the 116-112 victory despite some late drama.

  • The Clippers led by 25 points with just over 9 minutes remaining in the game.
  • The Spurs outscored the Clippers 67-43 in the second half to complete the comeback.

The players

Julian Champagnie

The Spurs forward scored 17 points in the third quarter to spark San Antonio's comeback.

Victor Wembanyama

The Spurs' rookie sensation contributed to the comeback effort alongside veteran guard De'Aaron Fox.

Kawhi Leonard

The Clippers' star played 37 minutes in the loss, the most of any Clippers player.

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What they’re saying

“This was the Clippers' largest blown lead in the play-by-play era.”

— Michael C. Wright, ESPN Reporter (ESPN)

“The Clippers were 108-0 when up 20 at the half.”

— Adam Auslund, Clippers Radio Host (Twitter)

What’s next

The Clippers will look to bounce back quickly as they take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, less than 24 hours after their historic collapse against the Spurs.

The takeaway

This game highlights the Clippers' vulnerability to big leads and their inability to consistently close out games against top Western Conference opponents. The team will need to address these issues if they hope to make a deep playoff run.