When you see a game end with a score of 140-114, you would assume that the it was the title contenders who won by such a large margin.

However, the Clippers were not the victors. They were sorely trounced by a lottery team that has a 5-5 record in their last 10 games.

All credit goes to the Grizzlies, who played their asses off and took advantage of every deficiency that the Clippers showed today.

A problem with defense

The Clippers didn’t have Paul George available due to a hamstring injury, and they definitely missed his perimeter defense.

One missing defender on a team with that much talent is inexcusable, though. Kawhi Leonard was still on the floor, and the Clippers have the coaching pedigree and the talent to at least compete on the floor when either Leonard or George sit.

Four of the Grizzlies’ starters scored 22 or more points. Here’s how they performed from the field:

Jaren Jackson Jr: 9-10 FG (90%), 3-4 3PT (75%), 3-4 FT (75%)

Jae Crowder: 9-17 FG (52.9%) , 6-11 3PT (54.5%) , 3-4 FT (75%)

Ja Morant: 7-10 FG (70%), 1-4 3PT (25%), 7-8 FT (87.5%)

Dillon Brooks: 8-19 FG (42%), 6-9 3PT (66.6%), 0-0 FT

Combined, they shot 33 of 56 (58.9%) from the field and 16 of 28 (57.1%) from beyond the arc.

A lot of those threes were open shots too, thanks to a mix of dribble penetration and kickouts along with a number of smart screens that helped open up catch and shoot situations.

The Clippers looked out of sorts with their defensive rotations, and this isn’t the first time that’s happened this season. Against a young and hungry team with nothing to lose and only the faintest of playoff dreams, this was a terrible combination.

Remember, this is the same Grizzlies team that lost to fellow lottery contenders the Sacramento Kings 128-123 and blew a 20 point lead a couple of days ago. That same Kings team only managed to score 87 points in their game against the Clippers last week – which makes it even more confusing as to how the Clippers found a way to give up 140 in regulation.

The Clippers have got to figure out on the defensive end.

Inconsistent offense

Leonard (8 of 24) was inefficient in scoring his 24 points today, and Landry Shamet (4 of 13) also struggled from the floor. The Clippers may have been better served by calling more plays for Montrezl Harrell (11 of 16) and Lou Williams (10 of 17), who combined for 52 points off the bench.

Harrell and Williams only played 26 and 25 minutes. Shamet (10 PTS) saw 28 minutes of game time, and Derrick Walton Jr. (3 PTS) saw 23 minutes of play. Mo Harkless (0 PTS) also played for 17 minutes.

In a game that was already missing two of their defenders in George and Patrick Beverley, Doc Rivers might have wanted to just see if a lineup with Leonard, Harrell, and Williams could outduel the Grizzlies’ youngsters.

Rivers may not have had that luxury, though, since they also have a the second game of a back-to-back against the Knicks tomorrow. Leonard is almost certain to sit out of that game due to their load management strategy.

The Clippers have had issues on offense plenty of other times in the season, though. Here are a few highlights:

They lost 107-97 to the San Antonio Spurs thanks to a 18-29 third quarter that let the Spurs pull away with the game.

Against the Milwaukee Bucks, they scored 15 points in the first quarter and 19 points in the third. The Bucks scored 30 and 35 in those quarters and won 119-91 in a game that saw both Leonard and George take the floor.

A 122-117 loss to the Houston Rockets saw them put up 41 points in the second quarter and then 18 in the third.

Another game against the Jazz saw them collapse in a close game. Trailing 93-92 after three quarters, the Clippers then scored 15 to the Jazz’ 27 allowing the visitors to win 120-107. Leonard and George were in that game together, too.

The Clippers cannot continue to find themselves sputtering on offense, especially when it counts. They’ve technically got three go-to scorers in Leonard, George, and Williams – someone’s got to be consistently dependable down the stretch.

There’s time to improve things

The Clippers still have a bit of time to improve things, as we’re just a little less than halfway through the season.

For a team that, at least on paper, looked deeper and more talented than the Lakers, their inconsistent performances are less than ideal.

The Lakers gave up some ground in the race to the first seed thanks to a four-game losing streak, but they then righted the ship and have won four in a row of their own.

The Clippers are now 5-5 in their last 10 games and have some ground to make up especially with the Nuggets and Rockets also finding their rhythm.

They’re still a contender, but they have to start figuring things out. If the Clippers are serious about a title, then they’ve got to stop losing against bad teams.

Montrezl Harrell summed it up best: