Clippers Crushed by Bulls: Collins the Only Bright Spot, Harden Exhausted, Interior Completely Exposed

On January 21, 2026, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered a painful road loss to the Chicago Bulls. While the opening quarter showed some promise, everything unraveled in the second period as defensive lapses and offensive stagnation allowed the Bulls to create decisive separation. The Clippers never recovered in the second half, resulting in a lopsided defeat.

John Collins was the lone positive for Los Angeles. He delivered near-flawless efficiency and helped spark brief comeback hopes, cutting the deficit during critical stretches. However, just as momentum began to shift, head coach Tyronn Lue inexplicably pulled him from the game—effectively ending any realistic chance of a turnaround. Collins was undeniably the team’s best performer.

James Harden struggled noticeably, finishing 9-of-25 from the field with six turnovers. Fatigue was evident throughout the night, particularly on the defensive end, where he was repeatedly exploited. After an explosive performance the night before, the back-to-back schedule clearly took its toll, leading to a complete breakdown on both ends of the floor.

Harden’s struggles also impacted Ivica Zubac, who relies heavily on guard play to be effective. Without consistent playmaking, Zubac went just 5-for-12 and provided little rim protection. Alarmingly, he committed zero fouls, highlighting a lack of defensive intensity that turned him into a liability rather than an anchor.

Backup center Brook Lopez also went missing, scoring zero points on three attempts while offering minimal resistance defensively. Despite this, Lue declined to give meaningful minutes to Niederhauser, who showed decent rim protection during garbage time. The Clippers’ interior defense collapsed entirely as a result.

Outside of Sanders, who maintained a respectable shooting percentage, the rest of the roster struggled badly. Once the game entered garbage time, any late scoring had little impact. The Clippers’ six-game winning streak came to an abrupt end, exposing significant structural flaws that demand urgent attention.