Warriors fall narrowly to the Clippers—Butler clamps Kawhi, elite defense, but Curry and teammates go cold.

In the regular-season game on January 6, 2026, the Warriors suffered a narrow 102–103 loss to the Clippers. The game slipped away early, as the Warriors dug themselves into a hole in the first quarter. Although they tried to close the gap for the rest of the night, they were never able to truly catch up. The Clippers extended the lead again in the fourth quarter, and despite a late push by the Warriors, they failed to complete the comeback.

Jimmy Butler and Gary Payton II gave everything they had and were essentially the backbone of the team’s performance. Butler was outstanding on the defensive end, doing an excellent job limiting Kawhi Leonard with consistent pressure and timely double teams from his teammates. Leonard never took over the game, while Butler still managed to score 24 points himself. He was especially clutch late in the game, scoring repeatedly and clearly leaving everything on the floor. Payton II also played with high energy, shooting 7-for-10 to score 14 points, crashing the boards aggressively, and standing out as the best-performing role player.

Defensively, the Warriors actually played very well as a team. They disrupted the Clippers’ offense throughout the game and recorded an impressive 18 steals. Unfortunately, their offensive efficiency was simply too poor.

Stephen Curry struggled for most of the night, finishing just 9-for-23 from the field. While he knocked down several key three-pointers late in the game, his overall inconsistency made it difficult for the Warriors to sustain offensive momentum. When Curry is off rhythm, the team lacks its usual scoring explosion. Combined with his current defensive limitations, this further reduced the team’s overall aggressiveness.

The rest of the roster also failed to provide enough support. Moses Moody continued to struggle with his shooting, and while he contributed defensively at times, the impact was limited. Draymond Green shot just 2-for-8, which was far from acceptable offensively. De’Anthony Melton, who had recently shown signs of improvement, went 2-for-7; despite solid defense, his scoring output was minimal. Al Horford had an especially rough night, shooting 1-for-8 — the worst efficiency on the team. Richard also missed multiple shots after checking in. With so many players struggling offensively, the Warriors ultimately paid the price.