LA Clippers make Tyronn Lue’s words true after 6-21 worst record on Tuesday

The LA Clippers were a team that started the season with a disastrous 6–21 record – what was the context behind those stats? In NBA history, 116 teams had started with a 6–21 or worse record through 27 games, like a plummeting graph, but not a single one of them ever recovered to the .500 mark in the same season.

So, what strategy did sixth-year head coach Tyronn Lue adopt to save the campaign, and what goal did he set? Lue set a single target for the remaining games: a 35–20 result, so the season could end at .500.

Two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard turned into the wizard of the turnaround, driving this historic run. In fact, since Dec. 20, Leonard is the only player in the NBA averaging 30+ points and two steals per game.

“I think the biggest thing is a healthy Kawhi (Leonard), that’s one. And just the guys we got in the locker room, that’s what I’m most pleased about, because they could have easily gave up, they could have easily gave in," coach Lue said last month.

Alongside this, James Harden was traded to Cleveland for young guard Darius Garland, and not only that – starting center Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown were sent to Indiana.

Then, during March Madness, in their 65th regular season game, the Clippers tied a franchise record for most points in a regulation game with a 153-point explosion against the Timberwolves, and after going 33–32, they moved above .500 for the first time in the season.

In this new roster setup, Garland, who’s been playing since his debut, also deserves praise for his performance. The 26-year-old guard delivered three straight 20-point games against the Indiana Pacers (30 points), Toronto Raptors (24 points), and Portland Trail Blazers (20 points) – what a spectacular show – along with 13 triples during that stretch.

What did Tyronn Lue say after the Clippers’ 6-21 worst record?

Back on Dec. 20, Lue had said, “Just talking to our guys today, our main focus, our main goal is try to be 35-20 the rest of the way and just keep stacking wins from there.”

And as of today’s date, after winning Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks 103-116, and two weeks left, the Clippers are in an extremely strong position to finish 8th in the Western Conference with their 41-38 total win-loss. Trailing them are the Trail Blazers at 40-39, in ninth place.

…and we've gone on a 35-17 run since. https://t.co/88mQZkbVCl

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 8, 2026

“This team, ever since I’ve been here for six years, our guys always continue to keep fighting when our backs’ against the wall,” said Lue, per The Athletic.

Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, said on a February Zoom call:

“As hard as these moves are, we are extremely excited about where we’re going,” he said. “We want to win now. We believe we are going to win now.”

Leonard won 45 points on 15-of-20 shooting, including 6 three-pointers, while Harden averaged 24.6 points in the turnaround stretch before the trade. Darius Garland is now averaging almost 6 assists per game.

The Los Angeles Clippers have become the first team in NBA history to climb back above .500 after spending at least 15 games below .500 in the early phase of the season.

The upcoming game is on Wednesday, April 8, vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder.