The Los Angeles Clippers’ season has unraveled quickly. A string of losses has left them near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, a stark contrast to the high expectations that surrounded the team at the start of the year. Now sitting 14th, the Clippers appear far removed from those early ambitions. Amid the skid, head coach Tyronn Lue didn’t shy away from accountability, openly identifying what he believes has gone wrong so far.
Tyronn Lue Delivers Honest Assessment of Clippers’ Struggles
Following the loss 121-103 defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies, Lue made an appearance in the post-game presser. He was asked about his thoughts on whether he feels the team is softer, as he once called them. The coach pushed back on the idea, but acknowledged that the Clippers are being physically outmatched night after night.
“I don’t see us being soft, I think most of the time we’re trying. I think teams are faster than us, bigger than us. We gotta become even more scrappy.” Lue said.
Ty Lue on whether the Clippers are soft:
“I don’t see us being soft, I think most of the time we’re trying. I think teams are faster than us, bigger than us. We gotta become even more scrappy” pic.twitter.com/zYObqo6qfH
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) December 16, 2025
Lue also emphasized that the problem extends beyond physical limitations and into the mental aspect of the game. According to the veteran coach, the Clippers have struggled to maintain composure when things start to unravel.
“And so just mentally when things go wrong, we’ve got to have the mental stability just to do things tougher, do things harder, not let go of the rope, you know. You could do everything right and still lose, or do everything right and the team still scores, you know, but you’ve got to stay with it and do it harder. And that’s the mindset that we have to have.” Lue added.
The Clippers’ struggles have deepened amid a four-game losing streak that has exposed problems on both ends of the floor. Sitting at 6–20, Los Angeles has fallen to 14th in the Western Conference, trailing not only playoff contenders but also several teams in rebuilding mode. Only the New Orleans Pelicans, at 5–22, sit below them in the standings.
For now, the Clippers’ path forward hinges on embracing the gritty identity their coach is calling for. Without it, the gap between them and the rest of the conference may continue to widen, leaving this season defined more by missed expectations than meaningful progress.
