When Ty Lue became the Cleveland Cavaliers head coach in 2016, there was a lot of pressure to win right away. At the time, Lue took over for David Blatt, who led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals the year before.
Ultimately, with the help of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Lue was able to lead Cleveland to their first championship in team history.
Now, Lue, who was officially named head coach of the Clippers on Tuesday, is in a similar position with Los Angeles. After the Clippers lost to Denver in the Western Conference semifinals, Los Angeles fired their head coach Doc Rivers, and now they are counting on Lue to get the job done.
With Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the pressure is on the Clippers to win now. Lue is no stranger to pressure, and it’s something he enjoys.
“I’m big on pressure because if you don’t have pressure that means you don’t have a chance to win a championship, so when you talk about pressure, that means you’re in a situation to win,” Lue said on Wednesday at his virtual introductory press conference. “That’s what I want to do.
“I want to be one of the greatest coaches. I want to be great, so in order to be great, you have to win. To me, when you start talking about pressure, all that it means. To me, that means you’re in a position to win a championship, and you want to take on those pressures. You want to be better; you want to be great, so in order to be great, you have to get over those hurdles.
“I’m excited about it. I don’t look at it as pressure. I look at it moreso as a chance to win another championship and take this team to a higher level.”
The Clippers were built to win last season, and what happened in Orlando was inexcusable. To lose to the Nuggets after being up 3-1 is unacceptable. However, sometimes, it takes a team time to gel, especially when you consider some of the time missed by Leonard and George. Lue wants to be regarded as a great coach, and with this roster, he will have the opportunity to do just that.
Stan Van Gundy has returned to coaching. On Thursday, the New Orleans Pelicans named Van Gundy as the team’s head coach.
“I am honored and excited to coach this talented group of players in New Orleans,” said Van Gundy. “This opportunity was one that I was really attracted to due in large part to David Griffin’s record of putting together highly competitive, talented teams in a great family atmosphere. When I got into the interview process and had a chance to meet with Mrs. Benson, Dennis Lauscha, Griff, Trajan Langdon, Swin Cash, and the Pelicans front office, it became clear how committed and invested they are to winning.”
The 61-year-old Van Gundy, who spent last season as a game analyst for TNT and studio analyst for NBA TV, last served as the head coach and president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons from 2014-18.
Van Gundy’s most successful stint came in Orlando. He helped lead the Magic to five consecutive postseason appearances, highlighted by an Eastern Conference Championship in 2009. During his tenure with the Magic, the team compiled a 259-135 (.657) regular season record, and Van Gundy was selected as head coach of the Eastern Conference for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. From 2007-11, Van Gundy’s Magic teams finished in the top five each season in plus/minus, and top 10 each season in three-point shooting, offensive rating, and defensive rating.
New Orleans is a team with a lot of potential. Obviously, they have Zion Williamson. Also, the Pelicans have the league’s Most Improved Player in Brandon Ingram, Jrue Holiday, and they have a 2020 lottery pick, so this team could have a very bright future, which will give Van Gundy a great chance to win in New Orleans.
The L.A. Clippers have named Ty Lue as the team’s head coach, the team announced on Tuesday. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, it’s a five-year deal.
The 43-year-old Lue served as an assistant coach under Doc Rivers for the Clippers during the 2019-20 season. As a head coach, Lue’s most significant moment is when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA title in 2016.
“The pieces we need are in place – committed ownership, smart management, and elite talent, on and off the court, in the NBA’s best market,” Lue said. “My familiarity with the organization, particularly Mr. Ballmer and Lawrence, confirmed this is where I want to be. We have work to do to become champions, but we have the motivation, the tools, and the support to get there. I’m excited to get started.”
During the 2015-16 season, Lue became the fourth head coach since 1980 to win an NBA Championship during his first year, and the 14th person to have won a title as a head coach and as a player. Over the next two seasons, he led the Cavaliers to two more Finals appearances, becoming the third head coach in NBA history to lead his team to three straight NBA Finals in his first three seasons.
Lue is right. The Clippers have everything in place to compete for a title, and just he did for Cleveland, Lue has an opportunity to put Los Angeles over the top. Now, the Clippers have to get everyone on the same page, which, according to reports, appeared to be an issue for this team. However, not many teams are as talented as the Clippers, so expect them to be one of the favorites again next season.
Mavericks F Kristaps Porzingis underwent surgery to address a lateral meniscus injury of his right knee, the team announced today. The 25-year-old Porzingis suffered the injury in Game 1 of the Mavericks’ opening-round series against the L.A. Clippers on Aug. 17.
According to the team Porzingis will begin rehab immediately and there is no timetable set at this time.
This season, Porzingis averaged 20.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday is the recipient of the 2019-20 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, the NBA announced on Tuesday.
The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award recognizes the NBA player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to his team. A panel of league executives selected six players from each conference with current players voting for one overall winner.
The award is named for Basketball Hall of Famers Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman, friends and teammates on the Rochester/Cincinnati Royals from 1955 until 1958. In the final game of the 1957-58 season, Stokes suffered an on-court brain injury, fell into a coma days later and was left permanently paralyzed. Diagnosed with posttraumatic encephalopathy, which damaged his motor-control center, Stokes was supported for the rest of his life by Twyman, who became his legal guardian and advocate.
“There isn’t a more deserving player nor one that better embodies what this award signifies, on and off the court, than Jrue Holiday,” said Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin. “Jrue’s concern for and connection to his community is at the heart of everything we want this organization to represent. The work that he and his wife Lauren have done locally in New Orleans, as well as in Southern California and Indiana cannot go unnoticed, and his willingness to donate his full remaining salary following the restart of the 2019-2020 season to the ongoing fight for social justice further demonstrates what type of human being Jrue is. We are honored and grateful that Jrue is part of our Pelicans family.”
On July 15, Holiday announced that he would donate the remainder of his 2019-20 season salary to start a social justice fund with his wife, Lauren. The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Impact Fund aims to combat systemic racism and address social and economic inequalities across communities in New Orleans, the Los Angeles area and Indianapolis. The funds will also support local Black-led non-profit organizations, citywide initiatives that seek to bring about equitable outcomes for Black and Brown communities, and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) of higher education.
Holiday is the first player in Pelicans franchise history to earn Teammate of the Year honors, and becomes the eighth player in league history to win the award, joining Chauncey Billups (2013), Shane Battier (2014), Tim Duncan (2015), Vince Carter (2016), Dirk Nowitzki (2017), Jamal Crawford (2018) and Mike Conley Jr. (2019).
New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday is the recipient of the 2019-20 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, the NBA announced on Tuesday.
The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award recognizes the NBA player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to his team. A panel of league executives selected six players from each conference with current players voting for one overall winner.
The award is named for Basketball Hall of Famers Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman, friends and teammates on the Rochester/Cincinnati Royals from 1955 until 1958. In the final game of the 1957-58 season, Stokes suffered an on-court brain injury, fell into a coma days later and was left permanently paralyzed. Diagnosed with posttraumatic encephalopathy, which damaged his motor-control center, Stokes was supported for the rest of his life by Twyman, who became his legal guardian and advocate.
“There isn’t a more deserving player nor one that better embodies what this award signifies, on and off the court, than Jrue Holiday,” said Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin. “Jrue’s concern for and connection to his community is at the heart of everything we want this organization to represent. The work that he and his wife Lauren have done locally in New Orleans, as well as in Southern California and Indiana cannot go unnoticed, and his willingness to donate his full remaining salary following the restart of the 2019-2020 season to the ongoing fight for social justice further demonstrates what type of human being Jrue is. We are honored and grateful that Jrue is part of our Pelicans family.”
On July 15, Holiday announced that he would donate the remainder of his 2019-20 season salary to start a social justice fund with his wife, Lauren. The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Impact Fund aims to combat systemic racism and address social and economic inequalities across communities in New Orleans, the Los Angeles area and Indianapolis. The funds will also support local Black-led non-profit organizations, citywide initiatives that seek to bring about equitable outcomes for Black and Brown communities, and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) of higher education.
Holiday is the first player in Pelicans franchise history to earn Teammate of the Year honors, and becomes the eighth player in league history to win the award, joining Chauncey Billups (2013), Shane Battier (2014), Tim Duncan (2015), Vince Carter (2016), Dirk Nowitzki (2017), Jamal Crawford (2018) and Mike Conley Jr. (2019).
In a shocking move, Doc Rivers has stepped down as coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, the team announced on Monday.
According to the team, owner Steve Ballmer and Doc Rivers reached a mutual decision that Rivers will step down as head coach of the L.A. Clippers.
“Doc has been a terrific coach for the Clippers, an incredible ambassador, and a pillar of strength during tumultuous times,” Ballmer said via a team statement. “He won a heck of a lot of games and laid a foundation for this franchise.”
The Clippers, who acquired Kawhi Leonard and Paul George last offseason, lost to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals after being up 3-1 in that season.
Rivers, 58, was the most successful head coach in Clippers history, compiling a record of 356-208 over seven seasons. Under his direction, the Clippers made the playoffs six times and reached the Western Conference semifinals in 2020, 2015, and 2014. Before arriving in Los Angeles in 2013, Rivers spent nine seasons with the Boston Celtics, winning a championship in 2008.
According to Ballmer, the Clippers will begin the search to replace Rivers immediately.
“I am also extremely confident in our front office and our players,” Ballmer said. “We will find the right coach to lead us forward and help us reach our ultimate goals. We will begin the search and interview process immediately.”
If he decides to coach next season, Rivers will be in demand. Currently, there are some excellent jobs that are open right now in the NBA, including Philadelphia, Houston, Indiana, and New Orleans, so Rivers could possibly find a good situation. Regarding the Clippers, you wonder what direction they will go in; Ty Lue, who led the Cavaliers to an NBA title in 2016, was Rivers’ lead assistant and could be one of the favorites for the job. Obviously, the Clippers have an attractive situation, and whoever gets the job will have an opportunity to win right away.
Mavericks guard Luka Dončić was named to the 2019-20 All-NBA First Team, the league announced on Wednesday. Dončić was joined on the All-NBA First Team by LeBron James(unanimous), Giannis Antetokounmpo(unanimous), James Harden, and Anthony Davis.
Dončić, who was 21 years, 168 days old on the final day of the 2019-20 regular season (Aug. 14), becomes the sixth player to earn All-NBA First Team honors at age 21-or-younger, along with LeBron James (2006), Max Zaslofsky (1947), Kevin Durant (2010), Tim Duncan (1998) and Rick Barry (1966). James (21 years, 110 days) and Zaslofsky (21 years, 114 days) are the only players to achieve the feat at a younger age than Dončić. In fact, if the season would have ended on its originally scheduled date (April 15), Dončić would have been the youngest to ever do it.
The second-year guard becomes the first player named to the All-NBA First Team in either his first or second season since Duncan in 1998-99 (Duncan made the First Team in each of his first eight seasons from 1997-98 to 2004-05).
Dončić averaged 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists in 54 games before to the restart (through March 11). The 2018-19 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year saw his numbers increase in the bubble, as he nearly averaged a 30-point triple-double (30.0 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 9.7 apg) in Orlando en route to being named a unanimous Kia NBA All-Seeding Games First Team selection. Dončić finished the regular season with averages of 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 61 games (all starts), becoming just the third player in NBA history to average at least 28-9-8 for a full season (Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook).
The 21-year-old recorded a league-high 17 triple-doubles in 2019-20, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to lead the league outright in the category. Dončić not only broke Jason Kidd’s Mavericks single-season triple-double record (nine in 1995-96), but he became the franchise’s all-time leader in the category as well (25). Twelve of his triple-doubles were of the 30-point variety, and he again joined Robertson and Westbrook as one of three players to record at least 12 30-point triple-doubles in a single season.
Dončić also finished the season as the league leader in 25-point, 10-rebound, 15-assist games (five), 30-10-7 efforts (18) and 20-5-5 games (50).
Dončić ranked sixth in scoring (28.8 ppg), 17th in rebounding (9.4 rpg) and third in assists (8.8 apg). He became the seventh player since the ABA/NBA merger (1976-77) to finish a season ranked in the top-20 among qualifiers in scoring, rebounding and assists (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Grant Hill, Kevin Garnett, James, Westbrook).
Voting for the 2019-20 All-NBA Teams was based on games played through March 11 (prior to the hiatus).
2019-20 NBA All-NBA Second Team:
Kawhi Leonard (L.A. Clippers)
Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets)
Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
Chris Paul (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors)
2019-20 NBA All-NBA Third Team:
Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat)
Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)
Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers)
Russell Westbrook (Houston Rockets)
The Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Center (IBEC) received final approval today from the Inglewood City Council, fully entitling the world-class campus that will include an 18,000-seat basketball arena, team practice facility and corporate offices for the L.A. Clippers. As a result, the Clippers have opened their waitlist for season tickets and other selected arena experiences.
The City Council’s unanimous approval of the Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) provides the terms for Murphy’s Bowl, the entity developing IBEC, to purchase the publicly-owned property within the arena site for a total purchase price of $66.25 million. The total purchase price will be shared among the City, the FAA, Los Angeles World Airports and other local entities, including the Inglewood Unified School District. The DDA contains long-term commitments from Murphy’s Bowl, following acquisition of the site, to develop and operate the arena and related facilities.
“Today is a new chapter for the Inglewood Basketball and Entertainment Center, as we move from the land use entitlement process and look toward construction,” said Gillian Zucker, Clippers President of Business Operations. “Every part of IBEC is being designed with purpose – with an unapologetic intensity that will define the experience together for players, musical talent and fans alike. This arena will prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there is no replacement for live basketball and entertainment.”
The privately-financed IBEC project will include a world-class facility that is uniquely designed to prioritize fan comfort and ease, player experience, home court advantage and community. IBEC will reimagine live entertainment, creating a new standard for live experiences all on its own. The one-of-a-kind facility will be set within an open, indoor-outdoor atmosphere that showcases what the world loves best about Southern California. The campus in Inglewood will serve as a hub that brings the Clippers organization together, with a new team practice facility and corporate offices. The project, expected to break ground in summer of 2021, will open for the start of the 2024-25 NBA season.
In August, the Clippers announced a global partnership with CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), to bring to market the naming rights for the arena. CAA Sports’ industry-leading Property Sales division has completed more than $4 billion in new sponsorship business on behalf of its clients.
IBEC will create more than 7,000 full and part-time construction jobs and up to 1,500 permanent full and part-time jobs when the complex opens. Local hire goals are in place to help fill 30 percent of the construction jobs and 35 percent of arena operation jobs with local area residents.
IBEC will generate an estimated $260 million in annual economic activity for Inglewood and approximately $100 million in tax revenue over the first 15 years of operation. That money will help support vital city services such as parks, libraries and police and fire stations. The Clippers’ one-of-a-kind basketball arena reflects the team’s commitment to being environmentally-friendly and energy efficient, while providing the City of Inglewood with the largest community benefits package ever connected to a sports venue at $100 million.
LA Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell has been named the 2019-20 NBA Kia Sixth Man of the Year, the league announced today. This marks the third straight year and the fifth time overall that a Clippers player has won the award, which is the most for a franchise in NBA History.
Harrell, who was named a finalist for the award last year, averaged career-highs in points (18.6) and rebounds (7.1) this season, while also leading the league with the most double-doubles off the bench (11) and tying for the most 30+ point games off the bench (4). Harrell and teammate Lou Williams, fellow Sixth Man of the Year finalist and three-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner, became the first duo since the NBA started designating starters in 1970-71 to each average 17+ points per game off the bench. Harrell also ranked second in the NBA in bench scoring (18.4 points per game) and tied for fourth in the NBA in field goal percentage (min. 600 FGA, 58.0%).
The Clippers finished the 2019-20 regular season with a 49-23 (.681) record and earned the second seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. The NBA Kia Sixth Man of the Year award is voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters based on games played from the start of the regular season through March 11 and did not include “seeding games,” which took place from July 30 – August 14.
Listen to Go4it! Guest: 5x All-Star Tim Hardaway Sr.
Hardaway talked the following:
Luka Doncic’s 43, 17, and 13,
-Mavericks chances against Clippers, Damian Lillard,
-The future of the 76ers(Embiid and Simmons)
-Raptors-Celtics
-Heat-Bucks
-Why he is not in the Hall of Fame
-Run TMC
-Heat-Knicks rivalry
-Tim Hardaway Jr future in Dallas
-Who will win the NBA title this season
-watch collection, more
Listen below:
