The Los Angeles Clippers got bad injury news about their athletic forward after losing to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday.
Athletic forward Derrick Jones Jr. suffered a right knee injury during the Clippers game against the Warriors. Golden State won that game, 124-112.
What Happened To Derrick Jones Jr.?
Jones Jr. bumped his knee against Golden State’s Brandon Williams with 1.9 seconds left in the third quarter.
He limped off the court, did not return for the rest of the game, and is awaiting further evaluation.
Before leaving, Jones Jr. had 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist in 28 minutes.
This season, Jones Jr. is averaging 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game as the team’s starting small forward, often tasked with guarding opposing teams’ best perimeter players. He is also shooting more than 50% from the 3-point line this season in over four attempts per game.
Following a reshaped Clippers roster, head coach Ty Lue relies heavily on Jones and Kris Dunn as primary defensive anchors on the wing, with Dunn comparing their pairing on the floor to “two Cane Corsos”.
Lue has integrated Jones into the starting unit alongside players like Darius Garland and Isaiah Jackson.
Derrick Jones Jr. Talks About Clippers’ Defensive Approach This Season
Derrick Jones Jr. and the Clippers have focused on a more proactive and aggressive defensive mindset for the season, aiming to “throw the first punch” rather than playing on their heels or reacting to opponents.
The team wants to set a physical tone early in games and make things difficult for opposing offenses instead of allowing them to dictate the pace.
Jones Jr. has taken personal responsibility for addressing last season’s defensive struggles, when the team ranked 18th defensively, noting that the group didn’t consistently lock in or guard to their full capability.
Jones Jr. was asked about this during the first few games of the season, via Law Murray of The Athletic.
“We just have to be aggressive defensively and not be timid, waiting for the game to come to us or for the other team to throw the first punch,” Jones Jr. said. “We have to go out there and throw the first punch, put forth our effort and allow the guys to have fun out there. We have to put up some resistance and make it a tough night for our opponents.”
“On the other side, I don’t think we locked in on our game plan enough last year, and we didn’t defend to the best of our abilities. I’m including myself in that. We just have to be better.”
“That’s one thing we’re all trying to improve as a unit: communication. We’re all out there speaking as much as we can, as loudly and as early as we can, so everyone knows what’s going on.”
The Clippers hold a 1–5 record to start the 2026–27 NBA season and are sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings on a five-game losing streak.
Losing Jones Jr. to injury means the Clippers could see their struggles continue with a flimsier defensive unit.
Clippers Wing Suffers Knee Injury Vs Warriors