Disappointing Clippers had reason to vent: They’ve been struggling for weeks

The biggest problem for the Clippers isn’t that something is broken. It’s that they don’t know how to go about fixing it.

They’ve lost their last three games and seven of their last nine and at 6-7 are below .500 for the first time since they lost the opening game of the 2013-14 season.

On Sunday, after a 91-80 loss to the Toronto Raptors, the frustration spilled into the locker room, with Clippers players screaming at each other so loudly that reporters waiting nearby in an interview room could hear the explosions.

It was an impromptu venting session, something that Blake Griffin later said could be good for a struggling team with championship aspirations.

“The better teams I’ve been on,” he said, “I think the more confrontations and arguments there’s been because guys aren’t afraid to say something.”

Much has gone wrong for the Clippers.

After Sunday’s games, they ranked 26th in the NBA in rebounding, averaging only 41.8 a game despite having DeAndre Jordan, who led the league in rebounding the last two seasons. The Clippers’ defense has been porous, giving up 104.5 points a game, which ranks 22^nd in the league. And their three-point shooting (31.3%) ranks 23rd.

The Clippers also can’t seem to finish, losing four games that came down to the final minute.

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Raptors forward James Johnson is tied up by Clippers center DeAndre Jordan for a jump ball during the second half.

  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers Coach Doc Rivers questions a call in the second half of the game against the Raptors.

  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers guard J.J. Redick slips past Raptors forwards Terrence Ross, left, and Luis Scola for a layup in the first half.

  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers point guard Chris Paul tries to cut off a drive by Raptors guard Corey Joseph during the first half.

  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers forward Paul Pierce and Raptors forward Luis Scola battle for a loose ball in the first half Sunday.

  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Raptors guard Kyle Lowry tumbles to the court as he reaches for a loose ball between Clippers forwards Blake Griffin (32) and Wesley Johnson in the second half Sunday.

  (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

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Raptors guard Cory Joseph and Clippers forward Josh Smith battle for a rebound in the second half.

  (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

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Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) pulls up for a shot over Clippers forward Blake Griffin and guard Austin Rivers in the second half.

  (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

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Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan has his reverse layup challenged by Clippers center DeAndre Jordan in the first half.

  (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

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Clippers forward Paul Pierce tries to score inside against Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll in the first half.

  (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

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Clippers forward Lance Stephenson is hit in the face by Raptors forward Terrence Ross while trying to make a pass in the first half Sunday at Staples Center.

  (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

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Clippers center DeAndre Jordan dunks against the Raptors in the first half Sunday.

  (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

On Sunday they played one of their poorest games of the season. They trailed by 29 points at halftime and were booed by the Staples Center crowd as they walked off the court.

After the loss, both Griffin and J.J. Redick cited lack of effort as one of their biggest concerns.

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers was quick to shoulder the blame. “If they’re not playing harder,” he said, “that’s on me too because I have to figure out a way of getting them to do that.”

This is not where the Clippers thought they’d be after adding eight players in the offseason, one with championship experience in Paul Pierce.

Despite those changes, nothing seems to be working.

“There’s no chemistry problems, we’re just not playing well,” Rivers said. “I think guys thought we would play well out of the gates, and we’re not, and they’re frustrated.”

The Clippers will have a chance to turn things around: eight of their next nine games are against teams that are at .500 or below.

But first the Clippers must recover from their last three losses.

On Thursday, they led by 10 points against the undefeated Golden State Warriors with five minutes to play but were outscored, 22-5, the rest of the way. On Friday, they lost to the Portland Trail Blazers, who ended a seven-game losing streak with a 102-91 victory.

Then came Sunday’s embarrassing performance, when the Clippers had as many turnovers (13) as field goals in the first half.

Griffin said it’s not surprising that the Clippers had a meltdown in the locker room -- and he hopes it will spark a conversation that could lead to real change.

“I think we need to do a good job of sitting down, being real and understanding what the real problems are moving forward,” he said.

UP NEXT

CLIPPERS AT DENVER NUGGETs

When: Tuesday, 6 p.m. PST.

Where: Pepsi Center.

On the air: TV: Prime; Radio: 980.

Records: Clippers 6-7, Nuggets 6-8.

Record vs. Nuggets (2014-15): 3-1.

Update: Unlike the Clippers, Denver was expected to struggle this season. The Nuggets are starting a talented but erratic rookie point guard in Emmanuel Mudiay, who has had five games with as many or more turnovers than assists. Denver’s players also have spent more time than they would have liked in the trainer’s room. Wilson Chandler is out for the season because of a hip injury, Jusuf Nurkic is rehabbing a knee from off-season surgery, Joffrey Lauvergne (back) will sit out Tuesday’s game and Kenneth Faried (ankle) is doubtful to play against the Clippers.

sports@latimes.com