Tyronn Lue coached LeBron James to his third NBA championship in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now, as head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, he's hoping to lead the duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to the same heights and bring the Clippers to the franchise's long-awaited Finals debut.
Early into his first campaign running the Clippers bench, Lue is already deploying tactics he and James used success in Cleveland. For instance, in an effort to improve Leonard and George's passing, Lue is giving each All-Star reps at point guard in practice, as he did with James once upon a time. Per Joe Vardon of The Athletic:
[Patrick Beverley] is the Clippers point guard on the lineup card, but he is not their dominant ballhandler. That’s why, every “couple” days at practice, Lue said, the Clippers put the ball in the hands of Leonard, or George, or [Lou Williams], and send defenders at them in a blitz, forcing them to practice passing out of it and seeing the floor. Lue puts Leonard through the same drill in the post.
Lue did something similar with the last great player he had as a head coach — LeBron James, in Cleveland — but James is as good passing over a blitzer and out of a double team as any to ever do it. Lue’s current crop, especially Leonard and George, are good at it, but they can be better.
Lue gained valuable experience coaching James, and he earned plaudits for talking tough to the superstar, thanks in part to their strong relationship. During halftime of Game 7 of the 2016 Finals, Lue famously lit into James in the Cavaliers locker room.
The Clippers are 4-1 through five games. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard each recorded seven assists in the team's 128-105 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.
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