Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue reflected on Friday’s dramatic 114-113 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Clippers overcame a 24-point deficit, highlighted by Kawhi Leonard’s jumper with 0.4 seconds left.
“Well, they were small and then… we had, you know, Brook to pin down for Kawhi. If they switch, then Brook would be on the inside… but then they brought Jay Huff back in the game so they wouldn’t switch it,” Lue explained. “When we saw that Kawhi come off, BM [Bennedict Mathurin] makes a good pass and Kawhi gets right to his shot… he brought us home tonight.”
Lue acknowledged the chaotic final moments, describing what he saw as a missed foul call: “The game should have been over… BND didn’t get fouled when the ball was in the air… so the time should have been off the clock. But then we had point four… we tip the game’s over. We wouldn’t have been in that position.”
The Clippers used strategic adjustments to slow the Pacers’ pace. “I thought just mixing in some zone to try to slow their pace down… it helped us out, got him a little stagnant, and then we was able to make some shots finally,” Lue said. He also praised his players’ resilience: “Throughout the course of the game, just keep battling, keep fighting, keep competing, and we was able to come out with the win.”
Lue highlighted Leonard and Darius Garland’s contributions in the comeback. “With Kawhi, he’s battling through some things right now, and Darius… made some huge shots. Kawhi made a big shot, big pass to him, made a big three in the corner to cut it to three… total team effort.”
Defensively, Lue noted early issues in transition. “Transition… they really attacked us early in transition. We didn’t get back, we didn’t get matched… eight threes in the first quarter, only one in the second. Just getting back, getting mats… trying to catch up with their speed, which we didn’t do a good job of in the first quarter.”
Garland’s ability to draw fouls also drew Lue’s attention: “I thought he did a good job of just attacking the basket, getting to the free throw line 15 times… staying the course… it was huge.”
The win marked Lue’s 400th career coaching victory and the Clippers’ fourth straight triumph. Leonard finished with 28 points, reaching 20 for the 50th consecutive game, while Garland led the team with 30. Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith scored 26, and Obi Toppin had 20, but the Pacers were unable to hold their early lead despite shooting 8-for-11 from three in the first quarter.
Los Angeles will visit Milwaukee on Sunday, while the Pacers host Miami. Lue’s focus remains on growth and execution: “We got to be smarter… protect the rim, keep our hands up… just continue to keep competing.”
