DeMarcus Cousins Says Ty Lue Needs More Urgency as Kawhi Leonard Stays Out

The Los Angeles Clippers are having a tough time right now. They have lost three games in a row, and their latest defeat came against the Phoenix Suns. A big reason is that star forward Kawhi Leonard is out with an ankle sprain. But according to former Clippers player DeMarcus Cousins, there’s another problem that is adding to the team’s struggles.

Cousins recently spoke on Run It Back TV and talked about what it was like playing for head coach Tyronn Lue. He said that even though Lue is very smart when it comes to game planning and strategy, his calm and relaxed coaching style can sometimes make the team too relaxed as well.

Cousins said that when the Clippers played badly in the past, there were times when Lue did not push the players hard enough afterward. “We would come in after playing really bad,” Cousins said. “And it would be like, ‘Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow.’ There was no urgency.”

He went on to say that when a coach is always calm, the team can become calm too, even in big moments when they need energy and intensity. Cousins pointed to comments from JJ Redick, who said he could tell in the first few minutes of a game if his team was locked in or not. Cousins believes Lue needs to be stronger in holding players accountable.

This problem has shown up this season. The Clippers have struggled in close games and late-game moments. For example, earlier in the year, they lost 120-119 to the Miami Heat after Kawhi Leonard missed a potential game-winning shot.

Kawhi Leonard Injury Update Makes Things Worse

Tyronn Lue also gave a tough update on Kawhi Leonard’s injury. Leonard has already missed three games because of his ankle sprain, and now Lue says he will miss “the next few games” as well. He did not say exactly when Leonard will return.

This is concerning because Leonard has had many injuries over the years. Last season, he played only 37 games because of a knee problem. This season, he played just six games before getting hurt again.

Kawhi Leonard has been the Clippers’ top performer so far, averaging 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Without him, the Clippers have not looked the same. James Harden and Ivica Zubac have tried to step up, but the team still isn’t winning.

The Clippers are now 3-6 and need to start winning soon. If they don’t, their season could start to slip away. The next few games are very important.

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