Subscribe
Follow Us
Tyronn Lue and the Los Angeles Clippers felt like they had Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets and gave it away.
The Clippers led the game for 40 minutes and 39 seconds, but ultimately fell in overtime with Nikola Jokic recording a near triple-double in the Denver victory.
Tyronn Lue hints at major change if Game 2 vs. Nuggets goes poorly
Game 1 saw a mixed bag for the Clippers. The team was solid in the half-court defensively, but committed 20 turnovers on the night. The 20 turnovers directly led to 29 points for the Nuggets off said giveaways. It was the first time since 2019 and the third instance since 2012 that the franchise had a game with at least 20 turnovers.
After the game, Tyronn Lue was calm, but acknowledged the careless game by his team.
“Just [watching] film and kind of just showing what they're trying to do,” Lue explained the Clippers' turnovers problems after Game 1. “Like we had, I think, 11 was unforced. That's uncharacteristic of us. We just can't throw blind passes and they're picking them off getting layups and dunks in transition when we can't get back and recover, and so our guys understand that.
“With us having 60 points in the paint, if take away like nine of those turnovers and you have 11, at least 5 of those possessions we'd be getting to the paint again and trying to make a play. That was a game we let get away. We understand what we have to do. I thought when we attacked the right way, how we were supposed to offensively, we got everything we wanted. And then when we didn't, they were able to take advantage of it.”
Lue is a coach well known for his defensive schemes and adjustments made during the NBA Playoffs especially in-game. While the Clippers held a 109.8 defensive rating, they also held a 19.8 turnover percentage, essentially turning the ball over once every five possessions.
your moment of zen
Anytime Tyronn Lue says that his team has the blueprint, then there are no surprises. The adjustment for the Clippers: PLAY BETTER pic.twitter.com/NFnj1OGQcS
— Law Murray 💭🚫 (@LawMurrayTheNU) April 20, 2025
“Just being able to see what [the Nuggets] are doing, how they're trying to attack us, and the things we can do different on both sides of the basketball to attack them,” Lue said on his perspective of Game 1. “We saw what we needed to see last night and I think we'll be a lot better tomorrow.”
Kawhi Leonard committed seven turnovers, Norman Powell had four, and Bogdan Bogdanovic had three. James Harden, Ivica Zubac, and Nicolas Batum each had two turnovers on the night.
Tyronn Lue played a nine-man rotation with the starters — James Harden, Kris Dunn, Norman Powell, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac — and four players off the bench — Derrick Jones Jr., Nicolas Batum, Ben Simmons, Bogdan Bogdanovic.
During a media availability in Denver between Games 1 and 2, Lue hinted to media members on location that he could elect to make a change to the rotation if things don't go as planned in Game 2.
Article Continues Below
“We have another half of what we did last night,” Lue said when asked if he's keeping the same rotation for Game 2.
“What does that mean?” the reporter asked.
“We have another half. If it doesn't work, something different will be done.”
It's unclear what exactly that means, but Lue has not been shy about using Nicolas Batum as a small-ball center due to his versatility defensively and ability to space the floor offensively.
As it stands, the Clippers are playing a center rotation that features Ivica Zubac and Ben Simmons, two non-shooters. Going with an eight-man rotation and cutting out, let's say Simmons, would give the Clippers a size disadvantage defensively, but would give them improved spacing, making it harder to send two or three defenders at Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
During a week of practices during the play-in tournament, Tyronn Lue discussed the different skillsets that Nicolas Batum and Ben Simmons provide for the Clippers.
“Ben's ability to push the basketball in transition, make plays, get people easy shots. With Nico, if he's at the five, being able to stretch the floor. If Joker's gonna blitz or in the drop, he has to recover back to Nico who can shoot the basketball, get to the next action, and try to move Joker around a little bit.”
Tyronn Lue on the difference with Ben Simmons and Nicolas Batum at the 5:
“Ben's ability to push the basketball in transition, make plays, get people easy shots. With Nico, if he's at the 5, being able to stretch the floor. If Joker's gonna blitz or in the drop, he has to… pic.twitter.com/mVqtoBAD2I
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) April 16, 2025
If the Clippers are going to make a rotation adjustment, that could very likely be it. Lue also briefly discussed the Clippers' timing of double-teaming three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, a lot of which had to do with timing and only when the Clippers had a smaller defender on him.
Game 2 between the Clippers and Nuggets is set to tip off on Monday night at 7PM PST.
