Tyronn Lue Demands More Than “Sacrifice” Out Of Team As Pacers Wash Clippers In LA

Tyronn Lue made a unique demand after the Indiana Pacers loss. The star-studded LA Clippers have fallen into an inescapable slump and continue to suffer after a dominant start to the season. On top of it, the team missed its second unit leader, Russell Westbrook, for 12 games in a row and managed to win only 6 of them. While the hopes were up for the Clippers to win tonight on account of Russ’ return, it didn’t turn out in the LA side’s favor.

Following the game, Lue made a pressing statement and demanded “investment,” rather than “sacrifice” from his players. Farbod Esnaashari, a reporter, in his X post, wrote, “Ty Lue says he’s getting rid of the word sacrifice to the team and replace it with investment. He wants players to be invested in the team.” 

While Tyronn Lue demanded ‘investment’ from his players, it is notable that the current Clippers association came to light after a sacrifice. Days into the start of the season, the Clippers roped in James Harden through a blockbuster trade. However, the star-studded team couldn’t get off to a winning start, they lost 5 straight games after the trade. Eventually, the first win came in after a sacrifice from Russell Westbrook.

After the 5-game losing streak, Lue took the call to make Russ come off the bench. Immediately, it made wonders for the side as they went on to top the West ladder. Speaking of Beastbrook’s decision, he said, “We’ve been talking about sacrifice, minutes, shots, and he (Russ) sacrificed [by] coming off the bench.” However, the trick didn’t last longer, and Lue expects more than just sacrifice from his players. He even said that the team has gotten “Soft” in tonight’s press conference.

Will the Clippers provide what Tyronn Lue is looking for?

The Clippers competed with three other teams for the first seed in the West but slipped out of the race during the current slump. And finally, it has now lost its fourth spot in the New Orleans Pelicans. If this form continues, the Clippers may even fall below 6th seed as the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks are only two wins short of the Clippers.

It has been only one game since the return of Westbrook, and he only played for 18 minutes tonight. The ex-MVP can bring out the missing piece in the side and get back to the winning ways as he did in the initial part of the season. The only question is, how long will it take for Russ to get back to his regular minutes?

What do you make of Tyronn Lue’s statement? Let us know in the comments.

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