Ty Lue Reacts to Clippers' Losing Streak with Russell Westbrook in Starting Lineup
The addition of Russell Westbrook has led to a four-game losing streak for the Los Angeles Clippers, a shocking development for head coach Tyronn Lue.
"I thought it would take some time to kind of figure out rotations and figure out how we want to play," Lue said Thursday, per Law Murray of The Athletic. "But to lose four in a row, I didn't see that coming."
The Clippers thought they had added a game-changing talent in Westbrook after the veteran guard agreed to a buyout with the Utah Jazz.
"We want Russ to be Russ," Lue said at the time, with the team sitting fourth in the Western Conference.
Westbrook was inserted into the starting lineup on Feb. 24, but the team lost its next four games. The squad is coming off a 115-91 blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday with Westbrook finishing 3-of-12 from the floor (0-of-5 from three-point range).
Los Angeles entered Friday seventh in the West with a 33-32 record.
Though the guard is more efficient as a shooter than he was with the Los Angeles Lakers, the team is 7.2 points worse per 100 possessions with him on the court through four games, per Basketball Reference.
It's still early, but it seems the Clippers didn't get the impact they were expecting with Westbrook.
"We got to just stay the course," Lue said after Thursday's loss. "You got to be mentally tough, mentally strong. Can't give in. And you got to be tougher. And that's the bottom line."
