On August 29, ESPN recently reported that the Los Angeles Clippers are one of the teams not favored for the new season, primarily due to losing Paul George in the summer, which could prevent them from even making it to the playoffs in the highly competitive Western Conference.
However, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue sees things differently. In a recent interview, he expressed his eagerness to prove the doubters wrong.
“When you lose a player like Paul George, people immediately think, ‘Oh, they can’t win’ or ‘They won’t be competitive anymore.’ But this gives me even more of a challenge. Okay, people are doubting us, or people think we’ll be terrible. This gives me extra motivation. I can’t wait to prove everyone wrong.”
Tyronn Lue also mentioned that he feels reinvigorated after helping the U.S. basketball team win gold at the Paris Olympics. Unlike last year, James Harden will participate in the entire training camp, giving the team ample time to gel.
“Learning on the fly (how to best utilize Harden) during games is tough… but he has shown us that we can score through pick-and-rolls and create opportunities for each other, making the game easier for everyone.”
Coach Lue believes that with a healthy Kawhi Leonard, some improved role players, and Jeff Van Gundy as lead assistant and defensive coach, the Clippers will perform well in the new season.