Although the French Knight, Nicolas Batum, only scored six in game six, he was the likely MVP of the LA Clippers' playoff win. How can such low scoring earn such a high honor, some may ask? Batum filled every column possible with six assists, five rebounds, two steals, and three blocks.
As a result, most assumed head coach Tyronn Lue would reward Batum with a starting spot in game seven. There were other choices, but no one was a better fit than the veteran wing with the season at stake.
Conversely, Lue tried to play chess and did the unexpected by picking Jones Jr. This decision cost LA a crucial game seven on the road.
LA Clippers' head coach Tyronn Lue made an awful decision that led to a blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets
Derrick Jones Jr. started the game with a layup, dunk, and contested three-pointer, but he could not consistently supply secondary offense behind the LA Clippers' two superstars. Possessions later, he had an ill-advised turnover and a few misses before Tyronn Lue realized his mistake and pulled him.
Jones Jr. ended the contest with 17 minutes, the second lowest in the Clippers' playoff rotation, and scored 12 points while being a +/- of -11.
Despite their powers, Nicolas Batum has much more experience and a higher IQ to handle a playoff environment. He should have been out on the hardwood at tipoff, but Lue took a wrong turn, and the Clippers were rewarded with an early offseason trip to their vacation destination of choice.
Batum's three points in game seven may look like nothing, but he was, again, a difference maker, as he added a steal and two blocks in 28 minutes off the bench. He also had several key plays that kept LA close until the Denver Nuggets unleashed their full force and took command in the third quarter.
Moreover, Lue's logic in starting Jones Jr. in a game with high implications and then playing him 11 minutes less than Batum is illogical. He must do better to win championships, like his first as a coach in 2016.
That said, Lue may have wanted to be mysterious and go against what the Nuggets may have strategized for with his start of the flying-sorcerer, but this did not faze David Adelman, as Jones Jr. shot 27.3% from three in the playoffs. They were happier with him shooting than Batum.