The players appreciate the clear and defined roles from the start of training camp, while also loving the fluidity and flexibility of his coaching style - his players know their hard work and improvement will be recognized during the dog days of a season and factor into playing time. Lue’s communication skills and ability to relate to any player on the roster has created an environment where everyone is comfortable. To become the true comeback kings of the league, the Clippers had to be a tight group that trusted each other, held everyone accountable, and relied on their unbreakable culture to power them through rocky weeks in the schedule. Through the ups and downs of missing the playoffs last year, the camaraderie continued to grow within the locker room. It was mostly a gap year for the organization, with the top priority being the development of rotation players and building chemistry on and off the floor. Last season, with Leonard taking a long-term approach to his recovery and George missing 43 consecutive games with a torn UCL, Lue still guided them to a winning record (42-40) with the No. After all, it’s never wise to throw any superstar into a playoff race when they’ve had very little time to ramp up. While there was speculation he could return last spring, the Clippers smartly kept any timetable close to the vest and prioritized his long-term outlook. On top of the injury costing him a potential championship, it guaranteed the following season would be dedicated to rehab. The timing couldn’t be worse for Leonard. ![]() The team had to play without its most dominant force in the West Finals, which they still extended to six hard-fought games. It would still become a story of bad luck for the Clippers, though, as Leonard tore his ACL in Game 4 of the second round, prematurely ending his playoff run. They became the first team in NBA history to overcome two 0-2 deficits in a single postseason, snapping their 50-year curse of not reaching the Conference Finals.
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