The case for and against Ty Lue, coaching genius

Is Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue actually a strategic genius, incredibly not only keeping his team in the playoff hunt despite half a season without Paul George and all of it without Kawhi Leonard, but even positioned to wreak havoc once that starts?

That's the take of Ohm Youngmisuk at ESPN, a hot take that has Clipps fans salivating.

Not so fast, I say.

Youngmisuk is ready to paper over all the massive fallings-behind the Clippers have had this season and seemingly present them as some sort of Sun Tzu sniffing out of opponents' weaknesses, only for the Angelinos to magically rally in the fourth quarter.

Only problem?

They haven't always rallied. And, with the Clipps solidly set to be in the play-in tournament, where they could be either one-and-done or two-and-done, trailing by 25 points or whatever, at halftime or later, isn't conducive to getting into the actual playoffs. And, trying to perform intellectual judo against the Nuggets with Nikola Jokic or the Maverics with Luka Doncic? Sure, you might have gotten away with it once before, but?

First, they're going to be smart enough to adapt. If not, their coaches, Mike Malone and Jason Kidd, certainly will be.

So, is he a flop?

I don't think he's that, either. Richard Jefferson may indeed be right that he's as smart a basketball guy as LeBron James, and now is getting to show it on his own. And, one of those big comebacks? Outcoaching Doc Rivers ain't that hard.

Is he a gambler?

Oh, Ty Lue's life story and mugshot is in the dictionary next to "riverboat gambler," I think. Ohm's got plenty of examples in this story. But, so is Phil Mickelson's, though from vastly different class background. And, while Philly Mick may have won three Masters, he came up short at six U.S. Opens, including his massive stupidity at Winged Foot.

As for the future? Sure, if PG-13 and Kawhi are there all of next year, plus a healthy Norman Powell and more, the Clipps could be great. But look at where the Suns have been even without Chris Paul, the Nuggets without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter, etc. As for staying ahead of the Lakers? Well, that's due to the genius of LeBron pushing for the trade for Russell Westbrook, aka Lil Russ, aka Westbrick, which gutted their depth.

Beyond that, if Lue is so damned good, his players wouldn't have made excuses for losing in the bubble to the Nuggets two years ago.