Next man up? More like next man out. 

Rookie Brandon Clarke’s elevation into the Grizzlies’ starting lineup on Monday night in Los Angeles lasted all of four minutes before he hit the locker-room with hip soreness, never to return. Clarke joined Jaren Jackson Jr., Grayson Allen and the yet-to-debut Justise Winslow in inactivity.

Meanwhile, the Clippers welcomed back starters Paul George and Patrick Beverley from injury and were at full-strength for only the fifth time all season. 

Given that the Grizzlies have wildly exceeded expectations to get in the playoff hunt at all and the Clippers are considered a Finals favorite if healthy, this was what’s known as an unfair fight. Was it ever. 

Grizz Week: A proposal for life without Jaren Jackson Jr.

Starting a lineup featuring their four least-prolific 3-point shooters, the Grizzlies found themselves with no space to operate and found open shots impossible to find. Four minutes in, they’d shot 1-7 from the floor with three turnovers, which turned into 1-11 with five turnovers. By the 4:19 mark of the first quarter, when De’Anthony Melton connected on a mid-range jumper for the Grizzlies’ second field-goal of the game, Kyle Anderson sneaking under the rim for a layup a minute in was such a distant memory that it might have been a dream.

The Grizzlies were down 40-14 after one quarter and that ballooned to a 35-point deficit early in the second quarter. (The team’s season-high deficit: Down 38 in Boston.) The Grizzlies had no answers, playing Twin Towers lineups with centers Jonas Valanciunas and Gorgui Dieng and three-guard lineups with Ja Morant, Tyus Jones and Melton and eventually every player available, including two-way guard John Konchar and 10-day signee Dusty Hannahs. (Konchar had a career-high 8 points on 4-4 shooting, to go with seven rebounds and four assists.)

Meanwhile, reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard had no chill. Leonard had 21 points at the half and barely bothered in the second, while bench beast Montrezl Harrell decided not to miss, making his first seven shots on the way to a 9-11 night.

As has been the pattern on this now 0-3 road trip, the second-half went a little better. Maybe that’s because the Grizzlies shifted to smaller, quicker lineups -- inserting small forward Josh Jackson to replace power forward Clarke -- and found more space and flow. Or maybe that’s because the Clippers activated cruise control with a big lead. 

If nothing else, the smaller second-half lineups the Grizzlies used with Clarke and Jackson Jr. both unavailable might have served as an extended practice for how they might match up on Wednesday against the center-less Houston Rockets. 

It was the third encouraging game in a row from the active Jackson, who had 14 points and five rebounds and continues to make a case for himself to stick in the rotation even after Winslow becomes active. And trade acquisition Gorgui Dieng continued to fit and flourish, with 14 points (2-4 3-point shooting), 10 rebounds and four blocks. These are perhaps good signs for what the Grizzlies could be again if and when they get healthy, but this road trip has the team gasping for air. 

With the loss, the Grizzlies fall under .500 for the first time since January 31st and have lost three games in a row for the first time since Dec. 7. Their playoff cushion falls to 2.5 games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers, three games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans and 3.5 games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs. The Blazers and Pelicans each have a tough game on Tuesday night, with the Blazers hosting the Boston Celtics and the Pelicans following the Grizzlies to Los Angeles to face the Lakers.