Clippers Coaching Team Balances Marquee Players


Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
After defeating the Golden State Warriors 113-112, Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue acknowledged the challenge of managing the court time of their four top players.
“It’s been pretty hard,” Lue admitted, via ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “But I’m built for it. I love this team. I love our roster … It’s my job to figure it out as well as our four guys just figuring it out as well.”
The Clippers began the season with All-Stars Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook before adding James Harden in an October 30 trade. Despite the past success of each player, the combination of all four hasn’t led to consistent wins yet. Since Harden debuted on November 6, the Clippers have gone 6-8 and are currently in 10th place in the Western Conference.
The 34-year-old is also recording his lowest scoring average since the 2010-11 season. Harden is also totaling a mere 6.4 assists each night, his worst mark since 2013-14. However, his spirits are still high after the Clippers’ victory over the Warriors.
“I told [Paul George] and [Kawhi Leonard] before the game, ‘Let’s catch our rhythm. Let’s be good, like we’re going to be later in the season,'” Harden said after the game, per Youngmisuk. “Let’s start it now.”
Lue also understands the challenge in balancing the team’s future potential.
“It’s going to be hard and it’s going to be tough,” he said. “Guys are playing different ways than they’re used to playing. And it’s hard to tell four All-Stars and four future Hall of Famers to play differently when they’ve been doing it for so long. And that’s going to be the challenge for the coaches all year.”
Los Angeles’ next opportunity to gain consistency will come against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. Tip-off is at 10 p.m. ET.

