Tyronn Lue warns the NBA despite changes in the Clippers: "We still want to win"

The Los Angeles Clippers have changed significantly from the team that started the season with high aspirations, but their coach, Tyronn Lue, insists that the goal has not shifted one bit: to compete to win every night.

"We play to win," Lue stated before the 125-122 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. "I don't care if they are young, veterans, or whoever is on the court. We try to win. There is no other reason to play."

The Clippers started the season with a concerning 6-21 record. Injuries and internal movements shook the locker room: Bradley Beal was sidelined with a hip injury, Chris Paul left the organization, and Kawhi Leonard missed time due to an ankle sprain.

In December, with the team 15 games below .500, Lue publicly issued a challenge: to finish the season with a 35-20 stretch to aim, at least, for a 41-41 record. The response was immediate. The Clippers put together a 21-8 run and entered Friday with a 27-29 mark.

"I didn't think it would happen this fast, but I knew we had a chance," explained Lue. "When Kawhi regained rhythm and minutes, we started to take off."

Image

A revamp on the fly

As the team improved on the court, management also made moves behind the scenes. The Clippers traded James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland, who has yet to debut with Los Angeles. They also sent Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers for Bennedict Mathurin.

Leonard has been the cornerstone during this resurgence, leading key victories against Minnesota, Houston, and Denver, and also shining in the All-Star Game, where he finished second in the MVP voting.

Contenders or a project in progress?

After a narrow win over Denver, Leonard was asked if the team was still a title contender. His response was more cautious.

"I think that ship has sailed," he remarked. "It's the second half of the year. Every day is about growing and getting better. We'll see in a couple of weeks where we stand."

Lue interpreted those words not as a surrender, but as a realistic reading of the new context.

"When the season started we had Paul George, Kawhi, James, Russ, Zu…," he explained. "Now we're younger. We have to play differently, do things in another way, and better."

Despite the restructuring and uncertainty, the internal message remains unchanged. For Lue and his Clippers, the motto remains the same: to compete and win, no excuses.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Tyronn Lue avisa a la NBA pese a los cambios en los Clippers: "Seguimos queriendo ganar"