that we’ve had for about 8 months

==>>> transplant stress is where i would start ... as i would presume a plant would come from a grower.. disease free ...

i wonder about the cement and rock .. as heat traps ... and the shock involved moving from a growers perfect conditions.. thru a seller.. to your little spot .... plants enjoy a cooling off and recovery period after dark .. but stone and cement can hold heat late into the night reducing such ... the plant can acclimate.. in tree time ... and as it does.. shedding needles is the norm ...

juniper are conifers.. and conifers are trees .. and they need to be watered accordingly ... a good deep drink ... and then near drying before the next drink ... most do not like constantly wet roots ...

i wonder if you have landscape fabric under the mulch ... if so.. it might be interfering with proper watering ... and should be removed ....

conifers .. in general.. hold their leaves ... needles .... 1 to 3 years ... yellowing and loss of such is cyclical ... interior ..... and normal ... and increased by any stresses ...

but its never the growth tips .... unless subjected to severe stress ...

some Js are extremely susceptible to tip blight.. but im not sure its this type [the usual type is J scopulorum ] ... being lazy as to looking it up for you ... btw.. you find your best info using the full latin name ... Juniperus chinensis, 'Blue Point' is your plant.. so its not J. scopulorum

see link for proper watering ... and perhaps review the planting instructions ... to see if anything need be fixed ...

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub