Tyronn Lue sat along with his arms crossed, his voice regular and his message clear about his displeasure with how the Clippers provoked him with their current performances and the way all of them need to look within the mirror to repair their issues.
It was extra than simply the 122-97 beatdown by the Lakers on Tuesday evening on the Intuit Dome that had Lue upset. It was the best way his group performed within the final three video games that had the Clippers coach in a uncommon second of ripping his gamers.
“And we’ve been good, so I can’t be, you understand, all the best way upset,” Lue mentioned. “However the final three video games have actually pissed me off.”
The Clippers had been down by 31 factors to the Lakers at one level, simply the most recent efficiency Lue took subject with.
He additionally pointed to the Clippers’ win over Charlotte and their loss at Toronto.
“We’re simply not getting off to good begins,” Lue mentioned. “So, we’re not locking in defensively. Like 45 factors within the first quarter [for the Lakers], like that’s simply approach too many. And so we bought to take satisfaction in guarding.
“That’s who we’ve been all season lengthy and now the final three video games we’ve sort of let our guards down and that is what occurs. So, we’ve bought to be higher. We’ve bought to take a look at ourselves within the mirror and take into consideration can we wish to win or not. That’s bought to be our mentality. And so three video games in a row we come out with not an important defensive efficiency and it’s simply not placing sufficient into the sport. Even on the offensive finish, not placing rather a lot into the sport. And so when that occurs you get blown out like we did tonight.”
The Lakers shot 54.9% from the sector and 48.6% from three-point vary. This was towards a stellar Clippers protection that was ranked third within the NBA in factors given up (107.2) and second in defensive effectivity (106.2) coming into the sport.
“Focus, um, depth, effort. No matter you wish to name it,” Lue mentioned. “We’re not bringing it. So, we’ve to repair that.”
Kawhi Leonard had simply 11 factors on four-for-11 capturing.
LeBron James of the Lakers battles for a free ball with Clippers Kris Dunn (foreground) and James Harden.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Occasions)
He was requested why effort has been an issue for the Clippers in current video games.
“I don’t know,” Leonard mentioned. “It’s arduous to say. All of us receives a commission to play this recreation and go away all of it on the ground. So, I’m unsure.”
Leonard nonetheless is proscribed in his minutes. He performed simply 22:26. However no less than he talked to the media after the sport.
James Harden left with out talking to the media. He had simply seven factors, missed 10 of 12 pictures and was minus-16 in nearly half-hour.
The Clippers had been coming off a four-game journey over eight days however refused to make use of that as an excuse.
“We’ve got to, like T-Lue mentioned, look ourselves within the mirror first and be capable of come out right here and do our job,” Leonard mentioned. “That’s the place it begins. Can’t look over the shoulder for assist with these issues about taking part in arduous.”
Along with his group down 25 with 6:58 left, Lue had seen sufficient. He pulled his starters. Two of the gamers who entered had been Patty Mills and Drew Eubanks, acquired Saturday from the Utah Jazz for Mo Bamba, P.J. Tucker, a 2030 second-round draft choose and money concerns.
Lue spoke extremely about Mills and Eubanks.
“Two stable guys that you just like to have in your group,” Lue mentioned. “Performs the fitting approach. Performs arduous, competes.”
The NBA commerce deadline is Thursday, greater than sufficient time for the Clippers to make one other transfer. With that in thoughts, Lue was requested if the Clippers have sufficient to make a deep run.
“Yeah, I do really feel that approach,” Lue mentioned. “As soon as we’re capable of get Kawhi’s minutes to the place we have to get them to, and he’s 100%, which means timing, which means simply condition-wise, we will make a run. We will beat anybody, any time. We additionally, if we don’t play the fitting approach, we may lose to any group. So, we do have sufficient within the locker room to win video games and go deep within the playoffs. And, so, we’ve simply bought to have the fitting mindset, play for one another and something can occur.”