LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 30, 2021

Tyronn Lue

Postgame Press Conference

Los Angeles Clippers 106, Dallas Mavericks 81

Q. What did you learn most about your team in these two games?

TYRONN LUE: Coming to a hostile environment, keeping our poise, following the game plan, cleaning up mistakes and making a couple adjustments. Like I say, after two disappointing losses on our home floor, really had to focus coming in, taking it one game at a time to win these two games. So I was very proud of the way our guys focused and locked in and was able to execute, especially on the defensive end the last six quarters.

Q. Ever since you guys fell behind by 19, you've outscored them by about 50 points. I know this is a game of many adjustments, but is there anything you're happiest have gone your way?

TYRONN LUE: I think defensively getting better strengths on the floor with Luka, having our low man -- guys get off the dribble, like Hardaway, making him drive it; Kleber, making him put the ball on the floor. I thought we really did a good job of that. We really locked into those two guys and they are very important to their team and three-point shooting and their spacing. I'm proud of our guys for really locking in and trying to get those guys on the line and making points inside the three.

Q. Nic talked about how the team had no panic arriving here in Dallas down 2-0. What have you observed from the guys since you've been here?

TYRONN LUE: Just poise and focus. I think staying poised. Understanding the task at hand. It's the first of four games. We still haven't done anything yet but you know it was a good start for us going down 0-2 at home and coming out and being able to win two on their floor.

Now the series is tied up and we're going to go home and try to take care of home-court advantage on Wednesday. I don't even know what day it is, but just keep it going and just continue to keep building momentum.

Q. We discussed the specific game plan, mistakes, the things that you wanted to see fixed, only 81 points to a team you gave up so many points to earlier in the week. Were there any more game plan mistakes despite the great defense or are you satisfied with the complete game from your defense tonight?

TYRONN LUE: I'm satisfied with the complete game. I mean, throughout the course of the game you're going to have some mistakes. We understand that. But it can't result in 40 points or 37 points, things like that. But you're going to have some mistakes. They are good players. They do a good job of running stuff in time-outs and putting you out of position, as well.

Just have to clean up mistakes. We can't give up 35 or 40 points on mistakes, and we did that tonight. Like I said, our guys were flying around, really physical on the defensive end. I thought for the most part, we tried to check -- box out, they got some offensive rebounds but overall just proud of our effort and following the game plan as best as possible.

Q. How did you react to the wrench that was thrown at you with Boban reemerging in this series?

TYRONN LUE: He was effective. I think him and big Zu together battling a little bit, it's something we definitely didn't see coming, but he gave a little jolt offensively. Fans love him. He came in and played well, 5-for-9, 12 points, six rebounds. You know, next game got to be prepared for him and ready for him and physicality and his height.

Q. Kawhi has been relentless the last three games. You've played alongside some of the all-time grates and you've seen Kobe take up his game a notch in the postseason. What is Kawhi like when he takes his game up a notch?

TYRONN LUE: On both ends of the floor, rebounding the basketball, really attacking. I think through the course of the season, sometimes getting prepared and getting ready for the moment but the pace and speed he's playing with is what we need and it's unbelievable, attacking the basket, quick moves. That's with our whole team, we talk about getting to the paint, driving the basketball.

With Kawhi, he's phenomenal, also catching the ball and making assists and attacking early. We need to continue to keep doing that. We have some work to do but I like the direction we're trending in.

Q. Did he ever say anything to you, like "we're good," he's "going to handle this"?

TYRONN LUE: As far as what?

Q. Like when you guys were down 0-2, anything like that?

TYRONN LUE: I just knew we had to clarify some things and I knew we had to get better with our game plan mistakes.

Like I say, game -- was it Game 2, I think we found out how we want to attack this team and the position we want to put them in and when ear on the offensive end, as well. Starting small is a little different, don't run as many plays because Nico doesn't know the full five position but plays we were able to run, we were able to execute at a high level especially the first first half.

Second half we got a little stagnant so we have to be better playing through the game. We got stopped and slowed the ball down and tried to run clock instead of keep playing through the game and keep attacking early so they are not back out doing stuff. We'll learn from that, as well.

Q. You talked about Pat and Zu being cool accepting their roles but what can you say about Nico taking on a challenge like that? He said he studied film on Draymond and Boris Diaw; what do you think of his mindset?

TYRONN LUE: His mindset is great. He still had shots that he can take -- if they have eyes on him, so we have to be ready to throw the ball back or Boban is in the game or playing the five position.

But defensively I thought he did a great job on Luka getting up the floor, trying to command the bsaketbal, pressuring a little bit. He had a block or two, just flying around, so you know, Nico starting today allowed us to switch more and do more defensively and that's why we were able to hold them to 81 points tonight.

Q. Max Kleber was a non-factor attempting shots. What did you guys do differently with him in this game?

TYRONN LUE: Like we talked about before the game and after Game 3, just making sure we know we know where Hardaway is at, making plays inside the three, no more open three-point shots. I thought our guys did a great job closing him out and running up the line and making him feel uncomfortable with the ball on the floor.

Like I say, that was one game and we have to continue with that philosophy and understand what we are trying to do defensively, who we want to eliminate threes and who we want to show close-outs to, as well. It's all coming together. Last six quarters we played defensively have been great, phenomenal so we just have to keep bidding off that.

Q. Before the game you said you wanted to take away their threes, run them off the line and still protect the paint. You did that tonight. Their rim attempts were not that high and they didn't take a ton of threes compared to their total field goals. Was this pretty much the picture-perfect defensive game plan that you had in your mind going in?

TYRONN LUE: Yes, it is. Want to just try to wear Luka down, let him play one-on-one. We try to keep his assists down because he dominates and controls the game, smart man, making guys better. But if we can come away with him only having six assists on the night, we did our job and that means he stayed at home or guys weren't making shots.

I thought we did a good job of shrinking the floor, showing him the crowd and beat up the dribble and our low man was there and exit out on the back side. You know, he's a tough cover and we understand that. So you have to take away something. Take away his pressing ability and make him score as less as possible.

Q. I don't know how many battles you've had with Boris Diaw but I know you've gone up against Draymond a bunch of times. What did you see in did you talk to Nico about that role with Draymond? What did you see in their roles that they do well at that five position that you thought could help you guys today?

TYRONN LUE: Switching guard one through five, I think we had to block shots, rebound the basketball, but also break down on the dribble. They are a lot alike. Draymond, he's one of the best I've seen at playing the cat-and-mouse game, playing two guys, getting steals and then Draymond's physicality. I think Nico talked about that, just being physical like Draymond, post-ups, rebounds. But he's been great all year and to start tonight after being down 2-1 and coming in and relying on him to start, I thought he was terrific. We want to continue that and in other words, continue to keep building off this.

And Clipper fans, if you're listening, we need energy (slamming first table) we're ready.

Q. Does home court mean anything?

TYRONN LUE: Does it mean anything?

Q. Every team has lost a home game so far.

TYRONN LUE: Yeah, it means a lot. Like I said, that crowd was unbelievable last couple games, and we're going to be the same thing from our crowd. We need the energy. We've got to feed off it. Only have half the fans they do but we need every bit of their energy. We're coming home and ready to go on Wednesday.