The Clippers have a complicated relationship with afternoon games.
Actually, it’s not that complicated — they don’t like them. Ty Lue has remarked that his team often lacks punch or spark in those contests. The Clippers went 2-4 in regular-season games that began before 1 p.m. PT in the 2020-21 season, including a disastrous loss to Dallas in the team’s third game. Lue even jokingly blamed the media for jinxing the Clippers on Super Bowl Sunday against Sacramento by bringing up the day-game stat.
Doc Rivers was even more offended by early starts, which he claimed were a byproduct of being the third tenant in Staples Center.