NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CLIPPERS VS. SUNS

June 27, 2021

Tyronn Lue

LA Clippers

Practice Day

Q. How have you felt about the team's overall offensive pace in the series?

TYRONN LUE: Yeah, we haven't been great. We talked about it after Game 1 and Game 2 of just getting to our sets quicker. I think it's taking us a little too long to get into our sets, and by the time we make one or two passes we're in a "butter" situation. We've shown throughout the course of the season that we haven't played well late in the shot clock. We have to be better with our pace, get into our sets. That way we can make multiple passes and multiple drives, as well.

Q. Ayton has been different than the other centers you've played in the playoffs thus far. What challenges has Ayton presented to you guys and how do you plan on solving that issue in Game 5?

TYRONN LUE: It's tough to solve an issue when you have guys with their penetration, with CP and Book, creating so much attention that you've got to help those guys. So he's getting easy drop-offs and dunks. It's not like he's posting us up and going one-on-one. He's getting drop-offs. He plays well off those guys. That's what big men do.

When we try to contest at the rim, he's also great at going to the offensive glass. Our smaller guys are having a tough time just trying to box him out with the physicality when Zu and those guys go for blocks or contest a shot. It's put a lot of pressure on our back side.

But when you give so much attention to CP and Book, a guy like Ayton, like I said, he's been playing great all playoffs, finding open areas and getting into spots. They have been doing a good job of using him effectively. When they have two guys in front of them, they drop it off and he's finishing well.

Q. Last night you had said coming back from 3-1 is very doable. You're one of the few coaches that have done it. I think it's only been done like 13 times. I know every series, every team is different. But what did you learn about that experience of trying to come back from 3-1 that you might be able to apply to this?

TYRONN LUE: Just taking it one game at a time. You can't focus on winning three. You have to focus on winning one. It starts quarter by quarter, especially playing on the road right now in Game 5. You have to take it quarter by quarter and try to win each quarter. That's got to be your mindset. You can't think about three games and four or five, six days from now. You have to think about tomorrow and just winning quarter by quarter. I think that's the mindset that I've got to make sure our team has going into the game tomorrow.

Q. Is there anything you remember from that Game 5 [of the NBA Finals] in 2016 when you started that come back with the Cavs that stands out to you?

TYRONN LUE: Yeah, I think LeBron set the tone early. I think our guys were just locked in and focused on winning the first quarter. That's what we talked about, winning the first quarter, winning the first quarter. We came out and we played great. We had a good start. Once we had a good first quarter, we fed off that throughout the course of the game.

Then we had to go back home for a Game 6. We told our guys, we've got to go back home for Game 6 anyway, why not go back home with a win. Our guys were locked in, focused and ready to go.

Q. I was wondering if there's any other message you're giving to your team right now with everything on the line in this game?

TYRONN LUE: Yeah, just basically we had a chance to win two of those close games. So it's not like we've gotten blown out in the games we lost. We played well enough to win those games and just a couple bounces go our way, we could be up in the series.

So don't think we've been getting blown out and we don't have an answer for this team, because we do. I just think offensively we have to keep trusting, play with more pace and more drives to the basket to open up some better shot attempts for us. That's the biggest message I have for our team. It's not like we've been blown out. The games we lost have been close every single game, so we know we can play with this team.

Q. Due diligence: Any update on Kawhi? Will he be stuck in L.A. tomorrow while you guys play in Phoenix?

TYRONN LUE: Yes, ma'am.

Q. So back in L.A.?

TYRONN LUE: Yes, ma'am.

Q. How is everybody else holding up. Zu, Nic -- any other injuries to report?

TYRONN LUE: I'm not sure until tomorrow. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Q. The rotations went down to eight players for the most recent game, and now that you're kind of in this hole, I feel like you're kind of battling this battle between who you can play and how long they can play. Is there a consideration into expanding the rotation, knowing that you need to hit that maximum effort over the course of a full game?

TYRONN LUE: Yeah, we'll see. We'll see when the game starts and how it goes and just kind of go from there.

Q. You started Marcus yesterday. Kind of got off to that rough start defensively. Do you think maybe you'll go back to Terance to start Game 5 because of what he kind of gave you with him and Pat on CP and Book?

TYRONN LUE: We'll see tomorrow. Not going to discuss it now, but we'll see.

Q. Well, thank you then.

TYRONN LUE: (Chuckling) You want me to give you an answer right now?

Q. I was just curious.

TYRONN LUE: We'll see tomorrow. You want me to give up the whole report?

Q. Well, a lot of "we'll sees"

for a quick amount of time. I'm just curious, but okay. Thank you.

TYRONN LUE: I'll let your know tomorrow. I'll make sure I tell you.

Q. Thank you, Ty. I'll be sure to ask you.

TYRONN LUE: No problem (laughing).

Q. You also mentioned earlier about getting to the rim more. Has that been a factor for you guys in the series, similar to Dallas where it's just get to the rim because of how well Phoenix does at shrinking the floor and stopping you from getting open threes?

TYRONN LUE: For us all season long, when we attack the paint and get to the rim, we're a totally different team. We know that. They did a great job shrinking the floor the last game. They did a great job with Ayton being up on the pick-and-rolls with Reggie and PG where they weren't able to get downhill. In that second half, we made a little adjustment with Zu and having him slip out a little early to get those guys downhill because then Ayton has to back up.

We are a totally different team when we attack the paint and get to the rim. We know that. So that's got to be our emphasis.