Ivica Zubac Says Tyronn Lue is 'Different' as a Playoff Coach

Lue is already facing complex challenges one playoff game into his Clippers head-coaching tenure.

During the LA Clippers’ media availability on Monday, center Ivica Zubac gave some insight into Head Coach Tyronn Lue’s process as a playoff coach.

"It's only been one game, but it's different,” Zubac said when asked what Lue has been like since the playoffs began on Sunday. “Attention to detail is very high. We're discussing everything. Every single play, every single coverage. Offense, defense, whatever. It's been fun."

Zubac only has former Clippers coach Doc Rivers to compare to Lue in terms of playoff approach. Rivers was criticized by many in the media last year for not making adjustments in the postseason, and for not giving Zubac more minutes. It is unclear whether Rivers maintained a similar level of attention to detail, but there was clearly a rift between him and the organization after the team’s upset defeat in the second round of the 2020 postseason.

It will be interesting to see if Lue will be more willing than his predecessor to try new things when his team is facing adversity. The Clippers are already facing some just one game into the playoffs; they lost at home to the Dallas Mavericks in game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday, allowing Mavericks star Luka Doncic to torch them for 31 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Lue has already hinted to the media that he will try assigning Kawhi Leonard the task of guarding Doncic in game 2. 

"I think you'll get what you're asking for come Tuesday," Lue said when asked why Leonard has yet to spend significant time guarding Doncic.

Regardless of who draws the initial assignment on Doncic, he’s going to force less mobile players like Zubac into the action by involving them in pick-and-rolls. Lue has already tried implementing both switching and blitzing in these situations, and Doncic has found success against both of these responses.

Lue is running out of options for Doncic, but based on his track record in Cleveland and his recent quotes, he’s going to exhaust every single one. 

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