On April 4, Beijing time, the Hornets, who lost three in a row in the NBA regular season, faced the Trail Blazers, who lost 10 in a row, and this game is particularly important because the two sides are the bottom teams in the East and West (which may affect the competition for the top pick).
At the beginning of the game, Ayton's desire to attack was very strong, and the Hornets responded with all the soldiers, and at the end of the game, Henderson and successive shots led the team to a wave of 9-0 small climax. In the second quarter, the Hornets chased points inside one after another, and Henderson came on the court to stabilize the situation, and the two sides continued to tug-of-war. In the second half, Ayton, who had a soft hand, hit his trademark mid-range shots one after another, and although the Trail Blazers dominated the opponent on the court, the Hornets were always able to hold the score. In the final quarter, after a short tug between the two sides, the Trail Blazers, who had a stronger core lineup, regained the initiative by relying on Ayton and Henderson, and the Trail Blazers narrowly defeated the Hornets 89-82.
After this game, the Hornets are 18 wins behind the Hawks in 10th place in the East, and they are completely out of the playoffs, which is also their eighth consecutive season to stop the regular season. The Hornets lineup is not too bad, with a star like Ball in charge, and the owner (Jordan) has also been replaced, but there is no result, and the biggest problem for the Hornets may be the head coach.
Just today, the Hornets officially announced that team coach Clifford will step down at the end of this season and will serve as an advisor to the team's management next season. Woj added that sources have revealed that the Hornets will begin the selection process for a new coach immediately, with the top candidates they are considering as Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, in addition to Kings assistant coach Jody Fernandez and Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn.
Tyronn Lue's contract with the Clippers is about to expire, and the Clippers have not offered to re-sign Tyronn Lue, and it is almost certain that if the Clippers don't do what they want this season (at least making it to the Western Conference finals), Tyronn Lue will leave the Clippers and the Clippers Big Three may be disbanded with it.
After the Clippers won a big victory from the Northern Expedition, they returned to the way they were when Harden first arrived, mainly because the mentality of the players has changed, and Tyronn Lue can't control the locker room, and many of the tactics he has laid out can't be played.
After the All-Star break, the attitude and motivation of the Clippers players have changed a lot, George is reluctant to do 3-and-D and start to carry the ball more because of contract issues, Zubac can't work, Harden loses possession of the ball, and the defense disappears with it, Leonard starts load management again, and Plumlee indulges in a dragon layup.
Tyronn Lue has coached big-name stars like James and Irving, but he didn't expect to be unable to take players like the Clippers and lose to the Pacers, Tyronn Lue seems to have had enough, and he bluntly said: "We played very soft."
Tyronn Lue should go coach a more united, motivated team and not remain with the Clippers as a scapegoat for the loss.