Lue states Clippers’ objective remains the same amid roster changes: ‘Our goal is to win’
LOS ANGELES — The L.A. Clippers may appear significantly altered from the squad that began the season with high expectations, yet Clippers coach Tyronn Lue emphasized on Friday that the organization’s objectives remain unchanged.
“Man, we’re playing to win,” Lue stated prior to a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. “I don’t care if it’s young, old, toddlers … whoever’s on the floor, we’re trying to win. I mean, we’re trying to win. There’s no other reason to play.”
The Clippers commenced the season with a 6-21 record and were experiencing turmoil, with Bradley Beal sidelined due to a season-ending hip injury, Chris Paul being dismissed by the franchise, and Kawhi Leonard – currently under investigation by the NBA for an endorsement deal that allegedly involved salary cap evasion by Clippers owner Steve Ballmer — missing considerable time due to a sprained ankle.
In December, when his team was 15 games below .500 and gearing up to face the crosstown Lakers, Lue took the opportunity to challenge his players publicly to finish the season with a record of 35-20 or better to at least secure a 41-41 finish.
The team surged from that point, achieving a 21-7 record leading up to Friday’s game against the Lakers, arriving with a 27-28 record.
“I didn’t expect it to happen this quickly, but I believed we had potential,” Lue remarked when asked about the Clippers nearing .500. “Once we got [Leonard] healthy and he could play more minutes and feel good, that’s when we started to take off and accumulate wins, which has been beneficial for us.”
However, during this period, the Clippers completely revamped their roster, trading perennial All-Star James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for guard Darius Garland, who has yet to play for L.A., and big man Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers for wing Benedict Mathurin.
Leonard has been a consistent presence during the team’s resurgence, contributing to victories over Western Conference playoff contenders such as the Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets since the trade deadline. Additionally, last weekend, he was among the standout performers in the NBA All-Star Game, finishing as the runner-up in MVP voting.
Following the Clippers’ 115-114 victory over the Nuggets on Thursday, he was questioned about the team’s potential as championship contenders this season, to which Leonard categorized his team differently.
“I think it’s over now,” Leonard told reporters Thursday. “It’s the second half, like [final] fourth of the season left, but every day is a day to grow, a day to learn and improve. So, you just have to keep assessing over time and see in two weeks if we’re progressing, and observe what unfolds from there.”
Lue interpreted Leonard’s comments as a clear recognition of the team’s transformation, rather than a criticism.
“I thought he was just saying in terms of contender when he first arrived, you had PG [Paul George], Kawhi, you had James, you had Russ [Russell Westbrook], you had Zu,” Lue explained. “And now, with a younger team, we need to play differently. We have to approach things differently, we have to improve.”
Lue was asked what instills confidence in him regarding his team, particularly given the depth of the Western Conference.
“I just feel confident. I have confidence in our players. I have confidence in our coaching staff and I have confidence in the environment, like the culture, we’ve established,” he stated. “And why wouldn’t you want to play to win?
That’s our mindset. That’s my mindset every single night. And as challenging as it may be or starting 6-21 or whatever it may be, you’re playing to win. And so, if we make it to the playoffs, anything can happen. Therefore, our objective is to reach the playoffs, and I don’t understand why someone would dismiss that.”
And if they achieve that objective?
“If we do, and if I get into the playoffs series, I like my chances,” Lue concluded.
