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Clippers’ Tyronn Lue nearly left speechless after reporter’s ‘hard’ question about defense
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- Clippers’ Tyronn Lue nearly left speechless after reporter’s ‘hard’ question about defense
The post Clippers' Tyronn Lue nearly left speechless after reporter's 'hard' question about defense appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The frustration surrounding the Los Angeles Clippers reached a boiling point on Friday night, and it showed most clearly in head coach Tyronn Lue 's postgame press conference.
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Following a 129-101 loss, LA's eighth defeat in nine games, Lue was nearly left speechless when asked how difficult it has been to get the Clippers to "keep their stuff together" defensively, pausing for several seconds before sighing and offering no real answer.
The numbers speak loudly. The Clippers are now 4-11, and Tuesday marked the ninth time in 15 games that they have allowed an opponent to hit at least 16 three-pointers, the most such games of any team in the NBA. Their perimeter defense has repeatedly collapsed, exposing weak point-of-attack coverage and slow rotations.
When asked directly what has gone wrong on that end of the floor, Lue mentioned that "many factors" are tied together, citing breakdowns in communication, physicality, and effort, but the uncomfortable silence following the reporter's follow-up question reflected deeper issues.
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Meanwhile, James Harden scored 31 points, becoming the 11th player in NBA history to surpass 28,000 career points with a layup in the first quarter. But his milestone was overshadowed by the mounting losses.
The Clippers continue to play shorthanded as Kawhi Leonard missed his ninth straight game with an ankle/foot sprain, and Derrick Jones Jr. was out with a knee injury suffered Sunday in Boston . Still, injuries alone do not explain the defensive freefall.
For a roster built to chase a championship, the early-season results have been far from encouraging. The sense of urgency is starting to feel like desperation, and on Friday, Tyronn Lue's inability to form a response spoke louder than any statistic.
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