New LA Clippers head coach Ty Lue opened up to the media about the challenges the 2020-2021 NBA season and the team has to endure.
The Clippers and Clipper Nation are eager to start their rebound season with a new head coach in Ty Lue. This comes after their disappointing second-round playoff exit at the end of the hands of the Denver Nuggets. Lue was an assistant under seventh-year head coach Doc Rivers but has taken command of his new team already.
Ty Lue is excited for the opportunity of a new head coach to be coaching for a star-studded team once again, but he also knows the pressures that come with it. He will coach star forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George that are on a player-option clause of their contract. They are playing with a win-now attitude which has now elevated to a high-level due to the disappointing playoff loss.
Last week the report by Jovan Buha of The Athletic (subscription required) detailed the star treatment of both Leonard and George controlling the practices all last season as well as the many negative team dynamics. Lue has assertive with his players and the preparation of the upcoming season. When asked about the availability and control of Leonard and George, Lue said:
"Kawhi and PG have gone through every drill so far in training camp, and Lue says they look phenomenal”"
Ty Lue at the microphone: live thread
— Clipperholics (@ClipperholicsFS) December 8, 2020
The Clippers are entering a season that is no longer protected by a location bubble but there will still be some restrictions that were present from the playoffs. There will be limited fan attendance for eligible teams, but some teams will not have fan attendance until further notice. The Clippers will not have fans for the first quarter of the season. This type of atmosphere can affect a team during the season. When asked about playing with no fans, Lue said:
"“The keyword is adapting. There’s no excuse because every team is doing the same thing.”"
He also said:
"“The players aren’t the only ones who have to adapt, but the coaches will have to as well.”"
Coach Lue gave credit to former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson for teaching on adapting to situations beyond his control. Lue played under Jackson for the Lakers for two seasons, the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 NBA seasons, which are the seasons that Lakers won the NBA Championships.
These two seasons were the only seasons in his 14-years in the NBA where he won as a player. Lue did win an NBA Championship in the 2015-2016 NBA season where he took over midway through the season for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Coach Lue is looking to win another NBA Championship in his first year with the Clippers.