Despite a sluggish start to the season, the LA Clippers have gone from strength to strength recently. They have climbed to the first seed in the Western Conference with an impressive league record of 34-15. A lot of credit should go to coach Ty Lue, who has found just the right mix of chemistry to create a roster around his four stars- James Harden, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Russell Westbrook. Although Lue deserves credit for the work he put in, Skip Bayless went a step further and claimed that the Clippers head coach is the best coach in basketball.
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In a recent episode of Undisputed, Skip Bayless said “They have the best coach in basketball. Ty Lue is it to me,” comparing Lue and coach Doc Rivers’ tenure with the Clippers. While Rivers failed to manage the ego of the players, Ty Lue has just about right managed the sentiments of everyone, including the big four stars of his team.
Since the arrival of James Harden, Ty Lue has managed to find the fix for the ego clashes between the minutes shared on the floor by the stars. Lue even convinced Russell Westbrook to take a back seat in the roster, something Darwin Ham had failed to do with him at the Lakers. Bayless commended Lue’s handling of Westbrook, who has maintained a calm and positive approach to his coach’s methods.
Skip also praised Kawhi Leonard, playing to the best of his prowess without missing any games. Kawhi’s presence remarkably improves the Clippers’ chances of winning, given he is able to stay healthy through the season. Praising Ty Lue for achieving an incredible hold over the Clippers roster, Bayless said,
“It’s a sweet situation that Ty Lue has masterminded and controlled pretty much with an iron fist. So now, all boils down to Kawhi’s health.”
When Kawhi Leonard is healthy and playing for the Clippers, his influence permeates every facet of the game. In the recent win against the Hawks, Leonard added 36 points, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds and had a domineering presence on the court. Skip Bayless’ analysis on Kawhi Leonard is definitely on point, given the 2x NBA champion is currently excelling in scoring and playmaking consistently, showcasing the breadth and depth of his skills.
Bayless, however, was not quite trusting of James Harden to be able to lead the team during the postseason. Harden had a history of previous playoff upsets, which brings Bayless’ trust factor down for the Clippers’ chances of winning the championship. However, the FS2 analyst believes that if Ty Lue wanted to depend on his other stars, there were chances for the Clippers to lead their way further down the postseason.
Skip Bayless argues for Kawhi Leonard to be included in MVP considerations
After the Clippers recently beat the Atlanta Hawks 149-144 on the road, Skip Bayless has been incredibly impressed with Kawhi Leonard. In just 37 minutes of play, Kawhi scored 36 points to extend the Clippers’ winning streak of four at the State Farm Arena. Leonard has been much healthier this season and has missed fewer games. Comparing Leonard to NFL’s MVP-elect Lamar Jackson, Bayless said,
“Here comes Kawhi into the MVP race. Playing another back to back, at Atl, he just scored 34 on 13-20 & 5-8 from three. Won’t have gaudy “MVP” stats. But he’s the Clippers’ Lamar Jackson. They go as he goes.”
Bayless continued comparing Leonard to Lamar Jackson, trying to push the agenda of MVP considerations for Kawhi again this season. In a tweet, he once added, “If the Clippers, who have won 25 of 30, win the West, Kawhi should win a Lamar-esque MVP. He won’t have MVP-style stats – neither does Lamar – but Kawhi is having Lamar’s eye-test impact on the season. Clips go as he goes. Right now he’s scary healthy.”
The fans have also started noticing how the Clippers have drastically improved from being in literal shambles three months ago to being the first seed in the West. The initial days of finding the right mix following James Harden’s arrival were tough on the Clippers. However, this team created a franchise record late in the season by rising to the first seed.
The Clippers have a 9-1 record in their 10 games and are showing incredible chemistry within their roster. With their new style of play, surely the Clippers have created their new brand of basketball, becoming a serious contender for the championship this season.
