“I vetoed it”: LeBron James explains why he shot down Darvin Ham’s coaching scheme against the LA Clippers
LeBron James has been known to share his wisdom and offer late-game guidance. After impressing with the Cleveland Cavaliers early in his career, James learned how to be a winner in Miami. After returning to Cleveland, the knowledge he gained in Miami proved invaluable, as he and the Cavaliers won the title under Tyronn Lue.
During that time, James often was seen making late-game calls and conducting late-game huddles, acting as an assistant coach of sorts to Lue. It's because of that and their years spent together in Cleveland that LeBron James feels he knows Lue better than most.
Now, with the player-coach duo split up and playing for opposite sides in LA, LeBron James has been able to use his knowledge of Lue's coaching schemes. This season, his LA Lakers have matched up with Lue's Clippers on four occasions, going 3-1 in the regular-season series.
According to LeBron James, on his and JJ Redick's Mind The Game podcast, the win included a veto of Darvin Ham's coaching scheme.
"In the Clipper game. We had switching built in vs Kawhi and vs James and whatever the case may be. And I vetoed it in the second half because I know T-Lue more than any other player that's ever been with T-Lue, and I know he plays target ball, too.
"And it got to a point where I knew in order for us to get back into the game, switching anybody else onto Kawhi, it's not favorable for us. I might as well just get ready for the wizards. So I vetoed."
Looking at LeBron James and Tyronn Lue's relationship
While LeBron James and Tyronn Lue may be battling it out in the longstanding Lakers-Clippers rivalry, their off-court relationship has remained strong. Despite no longer being on the same sideline, the bond the two built up during their time in Cleveland has remained strong.
Earlier this season, after the Clippers acquired James Harden in a blockbuster trade that saw the team add to their already star-studded roster, James weighed in. The way he sees things, regardless of what stars Steve Ballmer's team acquires, it's the "T-Lue Clippers".
The comments were made to media members, who took them and brought them to the attention of Tyronn Lue himself. As the Clippers coach explained, James is quote unquote his - "guy" after their time in Cleveland together.
Moreover, as Lue explained, LeBron James has quite a bit of responsibility for his coaching career turning out the way it has. Apart from being able to coach James, the two grew in their respective roles together when Lue was just a budding young coach.
Moreover, as Lue explained, the two were friends before joining forces in Cleveland, and that's something that won't change. Of course, with that relationship comes quite a bit of familiarity, with James knowing Lue's coaching schemes and Lue knowing James' playstyle.