Ty Lue Addresses Coaching Future After Clippers’ Elimination From Playoffs

May 4, 2024 Jimm Sallivan

The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Dallas Mavericks 114-101 in Game 6 on Friday night, ending their season short of the lofty goals set before them.

With his team out of the playoffs, and the Los Angeles Lakers sporting one of the most sought-after coaching openings in the NBA, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue was forced to address his future in the wake of Friday’s loss. Lue has been reported as one of the Lakers’ top targets, while a separate report indicated that the Clippers are very interested in retaining him.

As for Lue, he’d prefer to stick around with the Clippers.

“I didn’t come here to bounce around and go all over the place,” Lue said in the wake of his team’s 114-101 loss. “Mr. Ballmer, Lawrence [Frank], Mark [Hughes] and Trent [Redden] have all been great to me. This is where I want to be. Hopefully they feel the same way.”

Clippers coach Ty Lue on his future: “I didn’t come here to bounce around and go all over the place. Mr. Ballmer, Lawrence (Frank), Mark (Hughes), and Trent (Redden) have all been great to me. This is where I want to be. Hopefully, they feel the same way.” pic.twitter.com/4OC6FsYzNN

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 4, 2024

Time will tell whether or not Lue will ultimately remain with the Clippers, who enter the offseason with plenty of roster questions ahead of next season. What happens with James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Paul George and ultimately Lue, will determine whether or not the Clippers remain competitive next season.

10 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Derrick White’s Controversial Block vs. Mavs in Game 2 Seals Celtics Win

The Dallas Mavericks lost Game 2 of the NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics in a 105–98 defeat arguably filled with as many defensive highlights as offensive ones.

For Boston, Jaylen Brown expertly defended Mavs star Kyrie Irving in one lockdown sequence early on, and Kristaps Porzingis also made his presence felt with a crucial block late in the game. But it was Derrick White’s game-sealing defensive play with the Celtics up by five points and roughly 50 seconds left to go that essentially clinched Boston’s win and created buzz on social media for several reasons.

After the Mavericks stuffed Jayson Tatum in the paint on one side of the court, Irving and P.J. Washington blazed forward on a fast break looking to narrow Boston’s lead. Washington collected a pass and leapt for a dunk when White denied him at the rim with what appeared to be an epic block.

Fans were reminded of LeBron James’s clutch block on Golden State Warriors’ Andre Iguodala in the Finals eight years ago.

DERRICK WHITE ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! 😱 pic.twitter.com/r5jc02yxEA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 10, 2024

Truly an amazing play by Derrick White. The hustle, the timing, the athleticism. Incredible. https://t.co/ZsmH66rjNd pic.twitter.com/umerV8fplo
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 10, 2024

DERRICK WHITE YOU’RE MY HERO
— Dante Turo (@DanteOnDeck) June 10, 2024

However, slow-motion replays revealed that Celtics forward Jaylen Brown appeared to have pushed Washington from behind during the sequence, and that White made contact with Washington’s hand on the block, meaning a foul easily could have been called.

ESPN’s Mike Breen admitted after the game was over that the officials did indeed miss the foul on Washington.

"There should've been a foul called." - Mike Breen on the Celtics' game-sealing block.
Boston takes a 2-0 series lead over Dallas.🏀 #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/Noyh002M0H
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 10, 2024

The Celtics nonetheless took Game 2 for a 2–0 series lead and will travel to Dallas for the next two matchups of the NBA Finals.

7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Celtics Rout Mavericks in Game 1 of NBA Finals After Explosive First Half

The Boston Celtics secured a 1–0 lead in the 2024 NBA Finals after taking care of business on their home court against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night in Game 1, 107–89.

The Celtics jumped out to a huge first-half lead, pulling ahead by as many as 29 points during the second quarter before heading into halftime up by 21. Although the Mavericks clawed back to within eight points in the third quarter, Boston was able to re-extend its advantage and shut the door on the series opener.

Kristaps Porzingis was sensational in his return to the lineup, making his first appearance for the Celtics since April 29, when he sustained a calf injury against the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. The 28-year-old scored 20 points off the bench, providing a major offensive boost for the team.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 38 points, coming up with big plays on both ends of the floor as they helped guide their team to a Game 1 win. Tatum recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Brown came away with three steals and three blocks, alongside a team-high 22 points.

As for the Mavs, Luka Doncic's first taste of the NBA Finals was not what he'd been hoping for. The 25-year-old played well, but it wasn't enough to keep Dallas close. He scored a game-high 30 points while adding 10 rebounds and just one assist. Backcourt mate Kyrie Irving struggled in the loss, shooting 6 for 19 in a 12-point outing.

Dallas faltered as a whole from beyond the arc, making just 7 of 27 attempts from three-point range. Boston was vastly better, shooting 16 for 42 from deep, a difference which showed up on the scoreboard. The Mavericks' 89 points were their fewest this postseason.

Dallas will look to bounce back in Game 2, which is set for Sunday at 8 p.m. ET from TD Garden.

6 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Biggest Blowout in NBA Finals History: A Full Breakdown

When most sports fans picture the NBA Finals, they picture iconic moments in close games. Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan's iconic shot in Game 6 in 1998. Los Angeles Lakers guard Magic Johnson's so-called "junior, junior skyhook." Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James's block in 2016.

These memories obscure the fact that there has been a lot of slop on basketball's biggest stage. Did you know, for example, that there have only been five NBA Finals Game 7s in the last 30 years?

This article is a celebration of the Finals's unsightlier moments. Here are a few questions about the NBA's championship series beatdowns, answered.

On June 7, 1998, the Bulls smashed the Utah Jazz 96–54 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals to take a 2–1 series lead.

Pretty much out of nowhere! Chicago and the Jazz had played in the 1997 Finals and the series was competitive, with no game decided by more than 12 points. Utah won Game 1 in '98 88–85 in overtime, and the Bulls won Game 2 by five.

Chicago led just 17–14 after the first quarter in Game 3 but pushed its lead to 49-31 at the half. The Jazz's final total of 54 points represented, at the time, the lowest point total of the shot-clock era in any game—regular season or postseason.

The Bulls' 42-point margin of victory is an NBA Finals record. Predictably, Jordan led both teams with 24 points.

The second-most lopsided game will be more familiar to younger fans: the Boston Celtics' 131–92 win over the Lakers in Game 6 of the 2008 Finals. That game gave the Celtics their most recent title, and remains basketball's most lopsided championship clincher.

Rounding out the top five biggest Finals margins of victory: Game 3 in 2013 (San Antonio Spurs 113, Miami Heat 77), Game 6 in 1978 (Washington Bullets 117, Seattle SuperSonics 82), Game 1 in 1985 (Boston 148, Los Angeles 114; the so-called Memorial Day Massacre), and Game 1 in 1961 (Celtics 129, St. Louis Hawks 95).

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Ty Lue Addresses Coaching Future After Clippers’ Elimination From Playoffs

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