Ty Lue Confirms Urgent Meeting To Address Major Issue As Kawhi Leonard & James Harden Make Feelings Clear

What an insane run! With their sixth consecutive win, the LA Clippers are making shockwaves in the West. Not only that, they’re making an identity for themselves. A special identity, away from the pestering “second team of LA” tag. And on this journey, head coach Ty Lue and his superstar squad, featuring James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, are running the show. Meanwhile, if there is anything that the Clippers have been consistently good at, it is their defense. Understandably, head coach Ty Lue does not accept any slip-up in that area of their game. Take their February 4 loss against the Lakers.

In that 122-97 loss at their own arena, the Clippers were down by 31 points at one point, which made Lue furious. “We’re not locking in defensively. Like 45 points in the first quarter [for the Lakers], like that’s just way too many. And we got to take in pride in guarding. That’s who we’ve been all season long, and now the last three games we’ve kind of let our guards down, and this is what happens,” Lue had said.

For context, the Lakers shot 54.9% from the field and 48.6% from three-point range. This was against a defense that was ranked third in the NBA in points allowed (107.2) and second in defensive efficiency (106.2) while entering that game. Lue’s frustration on that occasion was legitimate. But don’t think he will stop criticizing his team even when they are coming up with wins. That is exactly what happened on Wednesday.

The Clippers welcomed the Houston Rockets to the Intuit Dome. But they didn’t let their guests steal the show, as Lue’s boys won 134-117 against the second-best team in the West. In the second of the back-to-backs, LA emerged glorious, proving that they’re ready for anything that might come. But wait a minute. The win came against a Houston squad that was severely shorthanded. The team had rested their biggest stars like Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, and Steven Adams. And the Clippers gave away 117 points to the squad. Let’s not forget, the Clippers have allowed 108.2 points per game until now. They have a defensive rating of 109.3, which is third-best in the league.

Even more concerning, they allowed the same number of points in their previous game against the San Antonio Spurs, who are already eliminated. So, perfectionist Ty Lue appeared before the media after winning the game to reveal a secret meeting he held with the players where he addressed the issue. “I talked to the team at the end of the game. I usually don’t do a lot of talking after the game, but I just told them we have to get back to our defensive identity,” Ty Lue shared.

He also added, “We’ve kind of let our guards down because of the guys being out or whatever it may be. But, you know, we got to have the same approach every single night.” As the regular season approaches its end, the games have become more intense. But most importantly, the Clippers have played two sets of back-to-backs in the last 7 days or so. Therefore, if exhaustion is setting in, it’s not surprising at all.

“Sometimes, when you’re scoring easy, you kind of let your guard down defensively,” Ty Lue explained. “But, when we’re trying to get to where we’re trying to go, we can’t. You can’t. You can’t do that. So, our identity every single night has got to be our defense. We have to have that mentality every time we step on the floor. I think we’ve been lacking lately, so we just have to be better with that.”

So, the message from the head coach is simple, yet the impact is as crucial as you can imagine. Currently, the LA Clippers rank 7th in defense. And trickling down from there could risk their playoff or play-in setup. A defensive rating of 109.3 is pretty impressive considering how Ty Lue and his boys have literally emerged from the ashes like a phoenix this season. However, Lue isn’t alone in this train of thought.

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Kawhi Leonard & James Harden speak Ty Lue’s language

Well, it’s not surprising to see a team falter defensively in some games. Especially when the league is ready for its next phase and the battle demands intensity. Tiredness surely settles in. But that doesn’t mean slip-ups of any kind are acceptable. So, when the reporter asked James Harden, “You guys have to get back to your defensive mindset. Where did that slip?”

He said: “It’s just, you know, two back-to-backs in a row. Like, it’s just — it’s kind of foggy, but whatever.” Harden admitted that Friday’s matchup vs. the Sacramento Kings is going to be tough. However, the most important thing now is to win the game. “We know our backbone and what our identity is — the defensive end. So, we just watch film and get better and be ready to go Friday.”

Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard also spoke about their defensive identity. He said: “It’s very important. I mean, that’s how you win games — on the defensive end. Getting easy baskets in transition and rebounding the ball. I did that miss once, and, you know, it’s a big part of what we do.”

Thus, the message is clear: defense isn’t just a strategy; it’s their soul. As exhaustion knocks, the Clippers won’t just endure, they’ll evolve. With Ty Lue’s fire, James Harden’s grit, and Kawhi Leonard’s calm force, they’re not just chasing wins anymore. They’re chasing greatness, one lockdown at a time.