With seven wins in a row, the Clippers are on the charge. They sit fifth in the Western Conference and are on the brink of a playoff berth. Yet, it could all unravel for them in the final regular-season game of the season. They take on the Warriors on Sunday, with a win guaranteeing them a playoff spot. Currently, they tie with the Nuggets with a tally of 49-32, but have a weaker conference record. If the Clippers lose to the Warriors and other results go against them, they would slump to the seventh spot and would be up against the Grizzlies in a play-in game on Tuesday. Hence, you would think  Ty Lue might be a little concerned after narrowly beating the Kings, almost giving up their 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. But that’s not the case.

The Clippers maintained a comfortable lead for most of the game, even being nine points ahead in the final minutes. The Kings then mounted a late comeback in the fourth quarter, narrowing the gap to 100-98 with just 1:04 remaining. After Sacramento’s Zach LaVine sank two clutch free throws with 3.9 seconds left, the Kings stole the ensuing inbounds pass. However, DeMar DeRozan’s contested three-point attempt at the buzzer bounced off the backboard, as the Clippers escaped with a win. So was there a reason to panic? Not if you ask Tyronn Lue, he never flinched.

In the post-game presser, a journalist asked Lue, “How satisfied were you about just getting out of here with a win…how concerned are you?” The 47-year-old LA Clippers head coach quickly shut down the question and was not having it.

He rebuked the reporter who asked the question and said: “I ain’t— quit saying ‘concerned’ all the time. I’m never concerned. It’s part of the game. They made some threes. We had a three to go up 12 with Kawhi’s shot. He missed it.”

While Kawhi Leonard, aka the Klaw, the 2x NBA champ, just showed why he’s still one of the best players in the league when he’s healthy, his missed shot nearly ended up costing the Clippers big time. Zach LaVine turned out to be an eyesore for Ty Lue’s boys on the court, scoring 26 points.

“They came back and made two threes. [They] cut it to three. You know, we missed a couple of free throws. And they’re a good team. They got good talent. So, this is a good win to come here on the road, to play this team who’s fighting for something, as well. And it was a huge win for us. So, I’m not concerned about anything,” Lue added. The Kings have already clinched their play-in position, and a win would have handed them home-court advantage for the game. Therefore, winning against a hungry team would have felt good.

James Harden had 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, and Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points. This only bodes well for the Clippers ahead of the showdown against Steph Curry’s Warriors. However, despite not being “concerned,” there is one thing that the head coach seems to be eager to work on.

The Clippers missed a few free throws on Friday. Ty Lue also noted: “Free throws are part of the game. Down the stretch, we got to get the ball inbounds. It didn’t happen. But it’s something to learn from.” They would be keen to improve that with a crunch game against the Warriors.

While Ty Lue is happy with the win over the Kings, he is frustrated by what the situation has come down to.

The Clippers are currently tied with the Nuggets at 49-32, but trail in conference record, 28-2,3 versus Denver’s 31-20. If they fall to the Warriors, while the Nuggets beat the Rockets and the Timberwolves top the Jazz, the Clippers would slip to the seventh seed. That would set them up for a play-in matchup against the Grizzlies on Tuesday.

With the current play-in structure, the LA Clippers are 5th in the West seed, whereas the Warriors, Timberwolves, and Grizzlies sit neck and neck from 6th to 8th. All it could take is two wins toward the end just to wipe away that whole eighth. How does this concept sit with Lue?

Ty Lue raises an important play-in issue with Adam Silver

The NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, was in Sacramento for the game. But sadly, Ty Lue couldn’t meet him in person. Had he met the boss, he could’ve talked about the fairness of the Play-In Tournament that is adding to his worries. “I always agree with Adam Silver,” Lue told the media. “It is a tough situation, like you said. If you’re nine or ten games ahead of the ninth and tenth seed, you fight this hard to get here. Those teams are good.”

Ty Lue questioned the fairness of the play-in format. A team like the Clippers could finish nine or ten games ahead of the ninth seed and still lose their spot after just two games. He pointed out that teams like Memphis, Minnesota, Phoenix (with Booker, Durant, and Beal), or Dallas with AD, can easily get hot and eliminate higher seeds.

“All you got to do is get hot for two games. Win, and you’re in the playoffs,” the Clippers HC shared. “It’s tough. Kind of disregards the 82 games you played during the regular season. Comes down to two games. Anybody can get hot. Anything can happen. It’s a tough situation.” Lue feels the play-in format can devalue the 82-game season.

A team may work hard all year, only to risk it all in two games. While the format adds excitement, he sees it as unpredictable and unfair to consistent teams, and perhaps Tye Lue wants Adam Silver to take note.

While the system may play games of its own, Ty Lue refuses to fold. He’s not sweating the chaos—he’s using it as fuel. If Adam Silver won’t fix the cracks in the play-in, Lue’s ready to break through them. The LA Clippers know the stakes, and if the league won’t play fair, they’ll just play harder.