Lue sees Leonard and Harden as strong All-Star candidates.
The Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak on Sunday night with a dominant 126-89 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at Intuit Dome, and head coach Tyronn Lue took a moment afterward to reflect on the remarkable turnaround his team has achieved this season.
When asked about the possibility of having two players selected to the All-Star Game, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, Lue did not hide his excitement.
"It feels good...to have the possibility to have two guys selected," Lue said after the game. "You know, it just tells you how much how important they are to your team, what they mean to your team, and so we'll see what happens."
The Clippers' Remarkable Turnaround
The statement carries significant weight when you look at where the Clippers have come from this season.
After stumbling to a brutal 6-21 start that had many wondering if the season was already lost, Los Angeles has been on an absolute tear and now sits at 21-24 after winning eight of their last nine games.
That stretch represents the best record in the league over that span, and both Leonard and Harden have been at the center of it all.
Leonard led the way against Brooklyn with 28 points, scoring 21 of those in the first half as the Clippers built a commanding 38-point lead in the second quarter.
Harden chipped in 19 points and ran the offense with his usual precision, while John Collins added 18 points, Jordan Miller had 16, and Ivica Zubac recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Leonard and Harden Making Their Cases
The numbers backing both stars' All-Star cases are hard to ignore. Leonard is averaging 28.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game this season while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field.
His recent stretch has been particularly impressive, as he earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors behind averages of 41.3 points per game during a perfect 3-0 week that included a career-high 55-point performance against the Detroit Pistons.
Harden, meanwhile, continues to be one of the most complete players in the league at age 36, putting up 25.8 points and 8.1 assists per game.
The 11-time All-Star recently passed Shaquille O'Neal to become the ninth-leading scorer in NBA history, and his playmaking has been essential to opening up the floor for Leonard and the rest of the roster.
What Comes Next
With the All-Star Game set to take place on February 15 at Intuit Dome, there is a certain symmetry to the idea of both Leonard and Harden representing their home arena on the biggest stage.
The Clippers currently hold the 10th spot in the Western Conference standings and are pushing toward the Play-In Tournament, and having both of their stars recognized would be a fitting reward for a team that refused to quit on the season.
For now, Lue is just focused on stacking wins and letting the results speak for themselves.
If Leonard and Harden keep playing like this, All-Star selections might be the least of their concerns.