Clippers coach Tyronn Lue’s frustration was palpable Monday night and that was before his team lost its sixth consecutive game.
“(Shoot), I’m upset, too,” said Lue, echoing what many fans have expressed on social media.
Lue’s exasperation stems from another season that already has been disrupted by injuries and a roster that can’t seem to put together a complete game or hold onto the ball, which has them off to a 3-8 start.
“My biggest thing is just stay patient, be patient,” Lue said. “We’ve been through this before as fans, as coaches, as players, as an organization, and so it’s no different. We’ll figure it out and we’ll be OK.”
Lue’s optimism swells when he looks down his bench and sees a group of young players who have infused energy into the league’s oldest roster. Cam Christie, Kobe Sanders, Jordan Miller and Kobe Brown are a tight-knit group whose recent play has earned them a place in the rotation.
In one of two games against the Phoenix Suns, Christie scored a career-high 17 points and collected another 13 over the next three games.
Miller, a third-year player, had a career night against the Denver Nuggets, scoring 22 points off the bench, while Sanders, a rookie out of Nevada, had nine points in his third NBA game. Of the four, Brown, a guard, has received the most playing time, appearing in 91 games over his three seasons.
Overall, the bench that included Brook Lopez, Bogdan Bogdaovic and Nicolas Batum scored 64 points in the Clippers’ 130-116 loss to the Nuggets, giving the team a much-needed boost.
“I thought they came in, gave us a lot of energy … so they got to keep growing, these young guys,” Lue said. “They’re going to make some mistakes, we understand that. But I did love the way they played.
“I thought they played the right way. The ball moved, guys got open shots, we attacked the paint, made the right play, and so just kept giving those guys room to grow. And I thought tonight was a step in the right direction.”
Miller, who spent much of his first two seasons in the G League, earned a standard deal last season but the Clippers waived him to make room for new players and brought him back on a two-way deal.
“I think just spending some time in the G League, I just think that group specifically, and I’m not saying anything about any other group (on the team), but we just found a way to move,” Miller said. “The ball wasn’t stagnant, and I think we were just playing for each other and just, if you’re open, you got a lane you have to drive it and if someone cuts you off, swing it to the next man.
“I think everybody did a good job in that group.”
Sanders said it has been important for all of them to stay ready because players never know when they will get a chance or a second chance.
“I was just excited to get back out there and go from there and it starts on the defensive end, flying around,” Sanders said. “I might’ve been a little too aggressive tonight, but you got to take something to give something, so I’m just happy to get back out there and continue to bring that energy.”
CLIPPERS AT MAVERICKS
When: Friday, 5:30 p.m. PT
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV/radio: FDSN SoCal/570 AM