Tyronn Lue has earned a reputation as one of the best coaches in the NBA. What he did in Cleveland, and what he’s doing with the Clippers right now, proves he is a brilliant strategist and very capable leader.
Speaking about Lue in a press conference, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, who once coached Lue in his playing days, had a lot to say about what makes him so special on the sidelines.
“Ty’s always stayed true to himself. He’s not afraid to try things. As a player he was a little bit of a gambler, we used to have to sit on him a little bit… He’s a risk-taker and it’s served him well. That’s his personality,” Thibodeau said, per Tomer Azarly.
“Ty’s always stayed true to himself. He’s not afraid to try things. As a player he was a little bit of a gambler, we used to have to sit on him a little bit… He’s a risk-taker and it’s served him well. That’s his personality.”
– Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau on Clippers’ Tyronn Lue pic.twitter.com/SsvFOBCEDI
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 7, 2022
In response, Lue issued a statement of his own. In it, he credited his success to not caring about what anybody else has to say.
“I try anything man because I don’t care. I don’t care what people think, I don’t care what y’all write and what y’all say. I just do what I believe that’s gonna work and what’s right,” Lue said, per Tomer Azarly.
"I try anything man because I don't care. I don't care what people think, I don't care what y'all write and what y'all say. I just do what I believe that's gonna work and what's right."
Clippers coach Ty Lue on being called a 'gambler' and 'risk-taker' by Knicks' Tom Thibodeau. pic.twitter.com/P6yAX0C1fC
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 7, 2022
After leading the Cavs to four straight Finals appearances, Lue eventually landed in Los Angeles, where he took over for Doc Rivers following the team’s playoff collapse in 2020.
This season, despite being plagued by injuries, Lue has the Clippers playing well. They are 8th in the West with a 34-32 record overall. As Paul George and Kawhi Leonard gain strength and prepare for a return to action, the Clippers remain respectable and competitive in a deep Western Conference.
The question is, can the Clips make some noise where it really matters? With a number of playoff failures in the books already, it remains to be seen if the cycle can be broken.
With Lue, the odds certainly look good.
