Rui Hachimura Scoreless in First Half on 0-for-5 Shooting as Clippers Lead by 3

On October 25, 2026 (October 26 Japan time), Rui Hachimura, 28, of the Los Angeles Clippers started in a road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He missed all five of his shots in the first half and did not score. The Clippers went into halftime leading by three points.

Hachimura played 13 minutes 20 seconds in the first half. He recorded one rebound and two turnovers and had few moments that contributed to scoring. He attempted four shots in the first quarter and missed them all, and he went to the bench with about five minutes left in the period.

Hachimura came off the bench in the second quarter. He returned to the court with 6 minutes 20 seconds left but did not score. Much of his first-half playing time was spent without making a shot.

His previous game was a road game against the Lakers on the 23rd (the 24th Japan time), his former team. He made three 3-pointers against them and scored 16 points, showing his presence. In that game the Clippers made mistakes in the third quarter and rallied in the fourth but could not complete the comeback, handing them their first loss of the season.

His first half this time was a sharp contrast to his recent form. In the NBA, players often see large swings in scoring and shooting accuracy from one game to the next. Judging a player's performance on the results of a few early-season games is not possible.

The NBA is a North American men's professional league of 30 teams. Teams play an 82-game regular season and decide their champion in the playoffs. Because individual game statistics are directly tied to wins and losses, the success of each shot carries different weight depending on the situation.

A turnover occurs when a player loses the ball through a mistake or a foul before taking a shot, giving the opponent possession. Hachimura's two first-half turnovers stand as numbers that gave the opponent scoring chances. However, the statistics alone cannot establish the cause.

The Clippers went into halftime with a three-point lead. In the second half, as in their previous game, third-quarter scoring could decide the momentum. Whether Hachimura can regain his shooting touch will be the focus of the Clippers' offense in the second half.

Basketball Press view

Rui Hachimura's scoreless first half shows how a team builds its game when an individual's scoring stops. The Clippers kept a lead into halftime, but getting their offense back on track in the second half is their challenge. In the NBA, results from the first few games can affect future playing time, so Hachimura's recovery will be worth watching.

This article was written by the Basketball Press editors based on the cited reports. AI is used to assist in writing and translating our articles. Please check the source for full details and exact figures.