Ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season, the Los Angeles Clippers were touted as the favorites to advance to the Finals.
But the Clippers have been eliminated from the playoffs by the Phoenix Suns in the first round itself. After the defeat, Tyronn Lue addressed the media, and it felt as if the Clippers head coach was saying goodbye to the team.
“First of all, I just want to thank our fans,” Lue said. “They have been unbelievable this year. Sticking behind us during the inconsistencies of lineups and different things. They stuck behind us 100%, and so I just want to thank the fans. They were great, all year long, my whole tenure here. The last three years have been great.
“I want to thank my coaching staff, second of all. [They] put in work every single day and helped me in every way, shape, and form I need they are always there for me. I couldn’t do this by myself. Then I just want to thank the players. For every day grinding for nine months and to get to this point, and no matter who’s in the lineup, who plays, those guys play hard for me every night. So, I can’t ask for much more than that being the head coach, just having guys that are going to compete and fight for me every single night. That’s all you can ask for.”
Lue wasn’t done as he then thanked the Clippers’ organization for giving him the opportunity to coach the team.
“I want to thank the organization,” Lue added. “Thank those guys for the opportunity and just put me in this position and all the support they’ve given me in the last three years.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN5O4AM3ou4
Toward the end of the interview, Lue was asked if he expects to return as the head coach of the team, and he gave an affirmation with a two-word answer: “Yes sir.”
Lue has been the head of the team for three years, and each season he has had the bad luck of dealing with injuries to his superstar players.
Tyronn Lue Says Kawhi Leonard And Paul George’s Injuries Cost The Clippers The Season
There is only so much a head coach can do when the two superstars of the team are sidelined with injuries.
Tyronn Lue dealt with that this season as the Clippers were eliminated by the Suns in the first round. In the postgame interview, Lue blamed the early exit from the playoffs on injuries to his superstars.
“What else could it be? I mean, our two best players got hurt,” Lue said. “Take Steph and Klay off Golden State. Take Book and KD off this team. Take your two best players off any team in the league and see if they can win in the playoffs.”
Leonard and George’s inability to stay healthy has always been concerning for the Los Angeles Clippers. Many believe if the duo was healthy, the Clippers could have gone toe-to-toe against the heavily loaded Suns.
Keeping that in mind, it’ll be interesting to see if the Clippers run it back once again with Kawhi and PG13 as the primary superstars of the team.
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