Lue Sets Ambitious Goal as Clippers Snap Skid but Lose Zubac to Ankle Injury
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The Los Angeles Clippers halted a five-game losing streak on Saturday night with a 118-112 victory over the Lakers, yet head coach Tyronn Lue is already demanding much more from his struggling roster.
Before the matchup at Crypto.com Arena, Lue told players they would need to finish the season 35-20 just to reach .500, later revising the target to 36-19 for a winning record. Los Angeles began the night near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
“We have to start with one,” Lue said postgame. “Being up 15 at halftime, we probably should have been up 20 to 25. In the second half we didn’t run through the tape. We have to get better, but it’s a huge win for us.”
Lue leaned heavily on his stars, playing Kawhi Leonard 41:54 and James Harden 40:43. The win marked the club’s first since Dec. 3 and its first at home in more than seven weeks. Despite owning the league’s fifth-worst record and owing their 2026 first-round pick to Oklahoma City, the Clippers hope the result sparks a turnaround.
“I think we’ve led in every single game,” Harden said. “We’ve had big leads and then allowed them to dissolve. Just finding a way to win a game—it feels like it’s been forever, but I feel good.”
Injury hits frontcourt
The victory was tempered by the loss of starting center Ivica Zubac, who exited in the first quarter with a left ankle injury and did not return. Zubac, averaging 15.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.0 block, had appeared in every game this season. The team said he will be re-evaluated Sunday.
Roster notes
• LeBron James, asked about longtime friend Chris Paul after the game, said he has not spoken with the veteran guard since the Clippers announced they were parting ways with Paul earlier this month. “It’s none of my business,” James replied.
• Lue offered no update on first-round pick Yanic Konan Niederhauser, who has been dealing with knee soreness. The rookie center has logged only one brief appearance since Dec. 3.
Source: Hoops Rumors
