Ty Lue Calls Clippers 'Soft' After Loss to Pacers; LA Has Lost 6 of Last 9 Games

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue appears to be losing patience with his team after Monday's 133-116 loss to the Indiana Pacers dropped them to 3-6 in their last nine games.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Lue called his team "soft" and explained how they can get back to the identity that made them look like a title contender earlier this season.

"So identity for us, it's got to be toughness," Lue said. "Which means physicality, mental and physical toughness, a high-powered offense—we can score in a lot of different ways—and we got to have a defensive mindset. And so right now, do we have an identity? I think, yeah, we're soft."

If you go back even further, the Clippers have been a team unable to find answers for what's wrong. They were the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with a 35-16 record and only one game back in the win column of the Minnesota Timberwolves for the top spot on Feb. 11.

Since that date, the Clippers have lost 11 of their last 20 games. They have dropped into a tie for fourth place with the New Orleans Pelicans and are 6.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets for the No. 1 seed with 11 games remaining in the regular season.

During this recent streak of six losses in their last nine games, the Clippers only wins are over the Portland Trail Blazers (twice) and Chicago Bulls.

Monday was the second night of a back-to-back for Los Angeles after a 121-107 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, who are 13-25 in 38 games without Joel Embiid.

The Pacers have been playing better recently with five wins in their last eight games, but they were also on the second night of a back-to-back and coming off a 150-145 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

To Lue's point about the Clippers needing to be tougher, their defense is really hurting them right now. They are allowing 113.7 points per contest in 18 games since the All-Star break.

Each of the Clippers' last six opponents have shot at least 48 percent from the field. The Blazers on March 22 are the only team that has shot under 38 percent from three-point range during that span (36.4 percent).

The Clippers will begin their last road trip of the season Wednesday against the Sixers.

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