With Paul George jumping ship and Kawhi Leonard missing majority of the season due to lingering knee issues, not many bet on the Clippers to have a solid campaign. Yet, here we are. The LA team is up 2-1 against the Nuggets, on track to eliminate the 2023 champs. But how did the Clippers beat the odds and thrive amid adversity? Well, the answer to that question might not lie in their roster, but in those who run it – Ty Lue and Jeff Van Gundy.
Amid last year’s chaotic summer, the Clippers hired Jeff Van Gundy as the lead assistant on Lue’s coaching staff. Gundy was slightly out of touch with running the show as he had not coached a team since leaving the Rockets in 2007. He went on to spend sixteen years working an analyst role at ESPN. But last season, Jeff proved that his coaching bug has not left him as he became a senior consultant for the Celtics and helped them win their eighteenth championship. So, the Clippers front office knew Gundy was the right man for the job.
The icing on the cake was his instant chemistry with Ty Lue. James Harden was in complete awe while addressing it during last night’s presser, “Elite. It’s like the perfect relationship. I don’t know, they just know what the hell they doing. You know what I mean? Like seriously, they always on the same page, they don’t overstep each other toes.” While their journey with the Clippers started only a year ago, Lue and Gundy go way back.
In fact, Gundy coached Ty Lue for a brief period while he played for the Rockets during the 2004-05 season. Then, the duo strengthened their relationship when they worked together for Team USA’s coaching staff. Lue reportedly wanted Gundy on his staff long back but “he wasn’t ready to get back into it.” But now that they are finally together, the duo is completely in sync. Further highlighting their impact, Harden said, “They tell us what we need to do on both ends of the ball and you know we go out there and do it. But it’s just like they’re Yin Yang. Literally Yin Yang twins.” Sure enough, the coaches’ leadership has spread positivity in the entire locker room.
James Harden deems Clippers “one of the coolest” NBA teams as he praises coaching staff for making his job easy
With their two lead coaches on the same page, the players are also clear about their role. It has developed a wholesome locker room environment, as Harden confessed, “Very fun. When you think about an NBA team, this is what you envision. You know I’ve been on several different teams and it’s probably one of the coolest teams in the sense of like everybody understands who each other is, accept them for who they are and go out there and compete and have each other’s back.” He claims every member knows each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and acts accordingly. “That’s what makes this team so special.” The Beard added.
Mar 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers acting head coach Brian Shaw (left) talks with LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) against the Sacramento Kings in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Obviously, for a team to succeed, every member needs to sacrifice. And Harden believes the Clippers have been great at doing that, “These guys know that the ball is gonna get to them eventually, however that looks. And T Lue and our coaching staff do an unbelievable job of mixing it in. For me, my job is easy. I can score but I’m the facilitator as well.” Harden being the primary ball handler understands that its his role to recognize which player is hot, and make plays for him, or when he needs to take over the scoring load.
“It’s a balance of just having each other’s back, see who has it going and just riding the game.” He remarked. As long as they continue to communicate, Harden is not worried about the upcoming games or who they face next, because he has complete faith in his teammates along with Lue and Gundy’s system. Seems like a well-oiled machine and a massive threat for the Nuggets. Agree?
The post James Harden Reveals Unknown Relationship Details as Confession Over Clippers Locker Room Emerges After Nuggets Win appeared first on EssentiallySports.
