CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Tyronn Lue returned to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for the first time as a visiting head coach Wednesday night, with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Lue replaced Doc Rivers in the offseason after joining Rivers’ staff for the 2019-20 campaign as a top assistant following his departure from the Cavs.
The Clippers left town 17-6, capping a 4-2 trip with a 121-99 win over the Cavs that saw them hit 20 3s.
“It’s great to get a chance to see all the guys I was here with and just thinking about all of the memories,” Lue said. “[Those] were some really good times – winning a championship, went to four straight Finals.
“What we did in 2016 meant a great deal to this city and to this organization so it will always be in my heart.”
The Cavaliers' public address announcer introduced him as “Cavaliers 2016 NBA champion head coach” and encouraged fans to “welcome back” Lue prior to tip off.
Lue was hired by Cleveland to serve as new head coach David Blatt’s top assistant in 2014 before taking over the team in late January 2016.
A difference in philosophy – trying to win with veterans vs. playing and developing younger players – led to Lue and the Cavs splitting just six games into the 2018-19 season with the team winless.
“It feels like it was way longer than that,” Lue said. “It’s only been 2 ½ years but it feels like a long time ago.”
Lue keeps in touch with the 2016 Cavs, as well as former teammates from the Lakers’ title teams.
“It’s always instant love,” Lue said. “It’s something that you work so hard to get to and you finally achieve the goal of winning a championship together and all the hard work and dedication that it took to get there. And people don’t really understand the one we won in 2016, it was just hard fought and the things we had to go through that season and then coming back from 3-1, it was just a magical season, a magical year so that bond won’t ever be broken.”
Larry Drew, who was on the 2016 Cavs coaching staff works for Lue as does former reserve Dahntay Jones, who is the Clippers video/player development coach.
The three received recognition and a round of applause from the 2,000 allowed to be in attendance.
Cleveland is 10-12 but would be the No. 7 seed in the East playoffs if they were to begin Wednesday. Lue praised the Cavs’ current head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
“J.B. has done a phenomenal job,” Lue said. “It’s good to see him get to a place to where he’s able to stay here for a long time and the respect he brings to the table. It doesn’t surprise me at all because he’s done it everywhere he’s been. These young guys are getting better, with Colin, Cedi taking steps forward. Adding Drummond, adding Allen, guys like that, they’re going to be a really good team.”
Drummond returns – Andre Drummond, who was questionable with lower back soreness, started, and won another opening tip.
Drummond finished with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists in just over 22 minutes but he had a team-worst plus-minus of -33.
No advantage – The Cavs get the Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back, but Bickerstaff doesn’t see that as any advantage for the Cavs, who had Tuesday night off.
“The time to play them was a week and half ago when all their guys were out,” Bickerstaff said before Wednesday night’s game. “The great teams pride themselves on never losing two games in a row.”
On the mend – Forward Kevin Love has resumed individual basketball activities “after undergoing a series of treatment and rehabilitation programs to heal a right calf strain,” the team said Wednesday.
“We watched him today do a workout, he was moving around good and he says he feels good,” Bickerstaff said. “Obviously we’ll be intelligent about how we bring him back but obviously it’s good to see him doing bask activities and not in a training room.”
Love missed all four preseason games as a result of the injury before returning to regular season action at Detroit on Dec. 26. After playing a total of 46 minutes, Love reaggravated the injury on Dec. 27 against Philadelphia at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
All clear – The NBA and NBPA announced weekly COVID-19 testing results Wednesday.
Of 482 players tested, zero new players confirmed positive tests.
Injury report – Larry Nance Jr. (sprained wrist), Matthew Dellavedova (concussion), Kevin Love (right calf strain) and Larry Nance Jr. (right wrist sprain) did not play.