Lue credited the team's resolve down the stretch after a close win against Golden State.
The Los Angeles Clippers picked up a huge victory Monday night, holding off the Golden State Warriors 103-102 at Intuit Dome in a game that came down to the final seconds.
After the final buzzer, head coach Ty Lue made it clear just how much this win meant for his team.
"I thought our guys handled it, stayed poised. That's a huge win for us," Lue said following the game.
Leonard and Sanders Lead the Way
The Clippers were without James Harden due to a shoulder issue, which meant others had to step up in a big way.
Kawhi Leonard did exactly that, finishing with 24 points on 10-of-25 shooting to go along with 12 rebounds and five assists.
Leonard continues to play at an elite level this season, averaging 28.3 points per game heading into the contest.
The real story of the night, though, was rookie Kobe Sanders.
The second-round pick out of Nevada stepped into a starting role and delivered a career-high 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting while also grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out three assists.
"Next man up. Our coaches, our players instill a lot of confidence in me," Sanders said after the game. "They want me to play confident, play free. With them on my back, I feel like I can do anything."
Defense Comes Up Big
While the offense got it done, the Clippers' defense deserves just as much credit for this victory.
Sanders drew the tough assignment of guarding Stephen Curry for much of the night and did an outstanding job limiting the future Hall of Famer's impact.
Curry finished with 27 points on 9-of-23 shooting but fouled out late in the fourth quarter, which took him off the floor in crunch time. He also went just 4-of-15 from three-point range.
The Clippers also did solid work on Jimmy Butler III, who had 24 points but needed 16 field goal attempts to get there.
With Curry off the floor in the final seconds, Butler's last-second fadeaway missed wide left, sealing the win for Los Angeles.
Kris Dunn added 16 points and six assists, while John Collins chipped in 18 points with three blocks in a well-rounded team effort.
What This Means Going Forward
The win moves the Los Angeles Clippers to 13-22 on the season and gives them seven victories in their last eight games.
After a rough 6-21 start to the year, the Clippers have finally started to find their rhythm and are climbing back into the playoff conversation in the Western Conference.
The Warriors fall to 19-18 with the loss and now sit in eighth place in the West.
Head coach Steve Kerr was ejected during the contest after arguing with the officials, adding to what turned out to be a frustrating night for Golden State.
For Lue and the Clippers, this game showed that they can win close games against good teams even when they're shorthanded.
With Leonard playing at an MVP level and young players like Sanders stepping up when called upon, there's reason to believe this recent run is no fluke.