LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 27, 2021

Tyronn Lue

Press Conference

Q. One of the things you often hear with the skill level of this league is you can't really take away everything on the defense and you have to live with some things out there. You obviously dealt with a lot of that in your Finals runs, as well. Curious, how challenging of a process is that for the coaching staff to decide on what to live with the most?

TYRONN LUE: I think the biggest thing is we've got to clean up some things as far as the game plan, and just see what we need to adjust to and coaches are saying the same thing as far as what we are doing coming out of time-outs and understanding what we are looking for.

But it's tough, with a good player like Luka, you've got to give them three looks, you've got to mix it up and you've got to be on the same page when you do it and that's the biggest thing, just being on the same page in our communication.

Q. You said after Game 2 you didn't feel any pressure. What is that the message you want to convey to the team as well to not feel pressure or do you feel like some pressure is good in these sorts of dire situations to get them motivated and get them doing?

TYRONN LUE: Yeah, I think a better word is urgency /-- urgency is the right word. Pressure or panic, I don't believe in that. I think you've just got to take it one game at a time. They won the first few games on our floor and so we just have to take it one game at a time and understand the urgency and understand what we are trying to do and basically everybody get on the same page. That's the biggest thing for me.

But like I said we are urgent and we are ready to go. We cleaned up some things we need to clean up, and we'll do the same thing tomorrow to get ready for the game tomorrow night.

Q. This might seem like an odd way to ask this, so forgive me, but Mike Tyson once famously said, "Everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth." You guys have been hit in the mouth in the first two games. How has that altered your plan and what's the best way to return that punch?

TYRONN LUE: Swing. You can't hit back if you don't swing, you know, and that's what I believe in. We've got to bring physicality to the game. Like I said, I don't know why that because we talked about that.

So in order to throw a punch, you've got to swing. Like the Greg Foster said, said, you can't make a shot new don't do it. We have got to be more physical and we've got to swing and we have to come out punching and we can't keep getting behind the 8-ball in the first quarter. We have to be better defensively to start the first quarter to start the game. We are well aware of that, and now we have to go out and execute it.

Q. Wondered what's been your analysis of Rondo's contribution, and you have such a veteran-laden team, but where does his voice weigh in all that considering his playoff experience and what do you expect from him the rest of the series?

TYRONN LUE: He's been great as far as having a voice and like I said, we just talked about him being more aggressive and they are going to try to lead him and double-team him. He has to take his shot. He's shooting 41 percent from three, and if not, attack the three for someone else. He's ready to go. I never worry about Rondo. That's why they call him Playoff Rondo.

Biggest thing for me is just everybody getting on the same page defensively and understanding what we are trying to do, us as coaches or the players, we have to simplify and make it easier so we all understand what we have to do.

Q. Serge's back, is that something that popped up in the last game?

TYRONN LUE: A little bit. And then this morning, he had a lot of tightness and soreness and had back spasms, so he's hurting pretty bad. So we'll see what happens.

Q. Okay. And so game-time decision I guess?

TYRONN LUE: Yes, sir.

Q. And I wanted to ask you, do you think Game 3 you're going to find out what your team is made of? You guys have your backs -- not totally against the wall but almost. Do you kind of feel like this is where you're going to find out what your team is made of?

TYRONN LUE: Most definitely. I think when you're down 2-0 you're coming -- it shows what you're made of, our toughness and all year, just trust, sticking together and then this is going to show us tomorrow who we are and what we are made of. So I'm excited to see.

Q. The last month for Terance, not been personally easy, as you know. Losing some people close to him while gearing up for a playoff run. What have you seen from the way he's tried to -- what have you guys said as a team to make sure that he's supported?

TYRONN LUE: He's always supported. That's the biggest thing from a team, from the coaching staff, from the organization, and you know that's what we want to do while he's going through that. Terance he's definitely not a young player, even from his rookie year to his second year. He's more of like a veteran, always coming in doing his work, keeping his mouth closed. He does what you tell him and he's very much older than his age and very mature as a player.

Like you see him the other night far as the playoff game to come in and perform the way he did was just great to see, and that's just who he is as a player and that's because of all the hard work he's been putting in over the last two years.

Q. You've had these starting lineups over Dallas by I think by 18 points, when the Dallas starting lineup is on the floor with them. What can you do to help that group?

TYRONN LUE: You're very smart and we'll tee tomorrow.

Q. Mavs are 29-0 in the first quarter and they are 15-3 when they don't. How much is that taken into account when you guys are trying to get that early punch in the mouth so they don't lead first quarter that for whatever reason seems to get them to win?

TYRONN LUE: I think our defensive mindset that we've been talking about all year. I think coming out with a focus and understanding what we are doing and what we are trying to take away and having a defense and physicality to do that. Our guys like I said we talked about it, we've seen it and now we've got to go out and execute, and I was -- funny what you said about the starting lineup, we're like, yeah, something needs to be done. You'll see tomorrow.

Y'all have a great day.