Tyronn Lue allowed himself a small, knowing smile. It was the kind of expression that comes from surviving a season-long gauntlet, and for the Los Angeles Clippers, the journey has been nothing short of epic. From a dismal 6-21 start that had many writing them off, the Clippers have clawed their way back into contention, securing a spot in the NBA's play-in tournament and keeping their playoff dreams alive.
Their 42-40 finish is a testament to resilience, extending the franchise's NBA-best active streak of consecutive winning seasons to 15. More impressively, they made history as the first team ever to be 15 or more games under .500 and still finish with a winning record. "Usually a team deals with adversity maybe once or twice throughout a season," Lue reflected, "but not five or six times."
The reward for this stunning turnaround is a high-stakes showdown. On Wednesday night, the Clippers will host Steph Curry and the defending champion Golden State Warriors in a win-or-go-home play-in game. The winner advances to another elimination game Friday, while the loser's season ends. Warriors coach Steve Kerr, familiar with Lue's steady hand from their many Finals battles, tipped his cap: "Pretty remarkable turnaround. I know Ty well. One of his strengths is just staying the course and really keeping the guys on an even keel, and that’s not easy to do when you’re 6-21."
The adversity Lue referenced extended far beyond the early losses. The team has operated under the cloud of an ongoing league investigation into potential salary-cap circumvention related to Kawhi Leonard, though the Clippers have consistently denied any wrongdoing and welcomed the probe. On the court, the lineup was rocked early by a season-ending injury to Bradley Beal.
The drama continued off it. The franchise's emotional reunion with future Hall of Famer Chris Paul last fall ended abruptly in December when the 40-year-old point guard was sent home from a road trip and effectively banished from the team, a shocking move for a player who hoped to retire as a Clipper. Then came the flurry of activity before the February trade deadline, as the front office scrambled to reshape the roster mid-stream.
Through all the chaos, Lue's leadership held the ship together. Now, against all odds, the Clippers have a chance to author the perfect final chapter to their chaotic season. One more win against the Warriors, and this story of perseverance gets at least one more thrilling page.