Tyronn Lue questions Clippers' direction after bad loss to Hawks

Tyronn Lue questions Clippers’ struggles after bad loss to Hawks: ‘Maybe it’s me’

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue watches from the sideline against the Atlanta Hawks at Crypto.com Arena.

Staff Writer

March 17, 2024 Updated 11 PM PT

Bad.

There really was no other way to describe the unsightly basketball the Clippers played Sunday night during a disheartening 110-93 loss to an underwhelming Atlanta Hawks team at Crypto.com Arena.

The Clippers, who at one point trailed by 29 points in the fourth quarter, have lost four of their last five games.

“We got to do the necessary things to get out of this rut that we’re in,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “And so it starts with playing hard first — every single possession. It starts with executing on both sides of the basketball defensively ... things we talk about every single day we show on film. We just got to execute them, not for 20 minutes, not for 28, for 48 minutes.”

The Clippers were bad on defense, looking indifferent about doing anything to stop the Hawks from shooting 48.8% from the field, 50% from three-point range.

They were bad on offense, playing too much one-on-one and not sharing the ball in shooting 37.8% from the field, 30.6% from three-point range and having only 17 assists.

They were bad with the basketball, their carelessness creating 16 turnovers that led to 26 points for the Hawks.

“I just kind of felt like we were in mud tonight really, that we didn’t really give all the effort that we could have gave,” said Kawhi Leonard, who scored 28 points. “I felt like they pretty much won in transition, you know what I mean? And offense, we were in mud a little bit, kind of slow-footed.”

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson controls the ball in front of Clippers forward Paul George.

James Harden, who had sat out the last two games because of a strained left shoulder, was bad, missing his first seven shots before finishing three for 10 for nine points.

Bones Hyland was bad, turning the ball over five times, missing all four of his shots and not scoring in 11 minutes.

The Clippers (42-25), fourth in the Western Conference, are only one game ahead of the fifth-place Pelicans in the race for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

“We want to be a team that’s consistent and we want to establish an identity,” said Paul George, who had 26 points. “I’ve always spoken about having an identity and I think it’s extremely important. ... Teams know what they’re going up against and right now I don’t think we have an identity.”

Lue has put more weight on himself, saying he must do more to get his team back on track. He has 15 regular-season games left to get it right.

“So, maybe I got to do something a little different. Maybe it’s me,” Lue said. “Maybe I got to do something a little different to make sure that we’re doing what we’re supposed to do. But they understand. Like I said, we are a veteran team. They know what we’re supposed to do. And like I said, I don’t never overreact to nothing.

“I’ll never really overreact because I know we’re a good team. I know we have great players. I understand that guys have carried teams, been done in their own regards different ways. But if you want to win, I know what it looks like. I’ve been there. I’ve seen it. I know what it looks like. And you can also do the right things every night and not win and you can not advance in the playoffs. But let’s start by doing it right first and then we can adjust from there.”

Etc: Clippers sixth man Norman Powell didn’t play because of a left lower leg bruise. It was just the second game Powell has sat out all season.