Lue shares his thoughts after the team's win over their crosstown rivals.
The Los Angeles Clippers were expected to be a middle-of-the-pack team in the Western Conference this season, but after a terrible 6-21 start that had many wondering if the season was lost, they have gone on one of the hottest runs in the league.
The Clippers beat the Los Angeles Lakers 112-104 on Thursday night at Intuit Dome, giving them their 14th win in their last 17 games and improving their record to 20-24 on the year.
The win was extra special because it marked the return of Kawhi Leonard, who had missed three straight games with a left knee contusion.
Leonard did not waste any time getting back into form, as he scored 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting in just 25 minutes of action, giving him 23 straight games with at least 20 points, which is a career-best streak.
His return helped the Clippers build a lead as large as 26 points before the Lakers mounted a furious comeback that fell short in the final minutes.
Lue Praises Kawhi's Return
After the game, Clippers coach Ty Lue talked about how Leonard looked in his first game back from the knee injury and what his return means for the team going forward.
"I thought he looked really good, especially to start the game in that first quarter," Lue said. "He had good pop."
The Clippers had seven players score in double figures against the Lakers, showing the depth that has been key to their recent surge.
James Harden had 18 points and 10 assists to go along with seven rebounds, while center Ivica Zubac put together a monster performance with 18 points and 19 rebounds.
John Collins also stepped up with crucial baskets down the stretch, including a dagger three-pointer that gave the Clippers a 110-102 lead with under a minute to go.
Key Contributors Step Up for the Clippers
Even with Leonard back in the lineup, the Clippers needed contributions from everyone to hold off the Lakers, who cut the lead to three points with just over a minute remaining.
Lue won a key replay challenge in the fourth quarter that took away two free throws from Marcus Smart and gave them to Jordan Miller instead, which helped the Clippers push the lead back to 10 points.
The Lakers got 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists from Luka Doncic, while LeBron James added 23 points in the loss, but it was not enough to overcome the Clippers' balanced attack and strong first-half play.
The Lakers dropped to 26-17 on the season with the defeat and now sit in sixth place in the Western Conference standings.
For the Clippers, the win keeps them in the playoff hunt as they sit in 10th place in the crowded Western Conference, just a game and a half out of the play-in tournament.
Young players like Jordan Miller and Cam Christie have emerged as valuable contributors off the bench, giving Lue options to rest his veteran stars while still maintaining the team's momentum.
The Clippers will look to continue their hot streak when they host the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, while the Lakers head to Dallas to face the Mavericks on Saturday.