If you only had one word to summarize the significant difference between this years Los Angeles Clippers unit and last years vilified group, it wouldnt be hard to narrow down.

Accountability.

It may get the reputation as a buzzword in team sports, especially in the modern era. You hear accountability uttered throughout every organization countless times over the course of a long season.

There is a reason for it. The word carries powerful meaning within the context of a team locker room, particularly in basketball, a sport with approximately 30 individuals working together on a night-to-night basis after taking into the account the players, coaches, and training staff. It inherently feels different than football, where the roster size is more than three times as large, and every player isnt responsible for playing both offensive and defensive snaps.

For as often as youll hear it from an NBA coach, accountability isnt an overused word. Its not an overrated dynamic within a team. Instead, its the most necessary building block a championship team must have. They must nail it from day one of training camp and stay attached to those principles over a seven-month span to be successful.

Ty Lue saw the blueprint once he took over the Clippers head coaching role in November 2020, replacing his longtime friend Doc Rivers after both Rivers and management decided to part ways.

With a front-row seat during the Clippers infamous collapse in the second round of the 2020 Playoffs, Lue wasnt blind to the teams primary issues. A common misconception fans may have about an assistant coach is thinking they can overstep the main guy in charge. Or, in Lues situation where the former assistant takes over as head coach, theres a notion that a team cant look significantly different the next season.

In his first season guiding the team, Lue has debunked that theory. One thing to keep in mind is how long Rivers has been around, and how he falls closer to the throwback category of coaches than the modern group. For the most part, he was rigid in his coaching style and not exactly known for making swift adjustments when things went awry both over the course of a game and a two-week playoff series. Combined with the history between Lue and Rivers, as the two developed an unbreakable bond in Boston during the Pierce-Garnett-Allen era, its not hard to imagine a dynamic where Lue would know exactly what Rivers was willing to change (or at least budge on), and the areas he wouldnt. As the right-hand man, Lue only had so much power.

Regardless of Lues prior experience coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers to multiple Finals and the 2016 championship, he wasnt the loudest voice in the Clippers locker room. His voice didnt carry as much weight as Rivers throughout the season or in the bubble.

For the front office, moving on from Rivers and promoting Lue made the most sense after conducting interviews and hearing Lues outline for the team. Not just the outline for the players, his offensive style, or how hell repair a fractured locker room. But also Lues plan for assembling one of the most well-rounded coaching staffs in the sport, which is still an underrated component of head coaching duties.

Immediately after getting the job, Lue put on his recruiting hat and started building a team of coaching talent from around the league.

Kenny Atkinson, former Brooklyn Nets head coach and Atlanta Hawks assistant under Mike Budenholzer, joined the Clippers. While hes one of the leading voices offensively, Atkinson is also known for his passion in the player development aspect of team-building. He helped many young players tap into their potential while coaching Brooklyn, and hes carried that attention to detail over to the Clippers. You will always see him working individually with Luke Kennard, Terance Mann, and others during the players pregame routines.

Dan Craig, a former Miami Heat assistant for seven years under Erik Spoelstra, was lured away from South Beach to become the primary defensive coordinator for the Clippers. Despite not having professional experience working together, Lue clearly wanted a new (and successful) voice to help install the defensive principles necessary for a championship run. After all, for as much attention as the Clippers offensive hiccups garnered in the 2020 playoffs, the defensive lapses and rotation decisions were the bigger problems versus Denver.

Chauncey Billups, one of the most respected point guards of the last 20 years and Lues close friend, joined the staff as well. Larry Drew, who worked hand-in-hand with Lue in Cleveland throughout all of the NBA Finals runs, was on board to join the Clippers. Roy Rogers, an assistant with a reputation of helping the growth of young centers, was also hired. Ivica Zubac has credited Rogers on multiple occasions for pushing him in practice and showing him new techniques in order to be more successful during his minutes.

Revamping the coaching staff while collecting powerful, experienced minds from various organizations is what Lue planned from day one. Instead of spreading himself too thin and trying to dominate the room, Lue assembled his staff like a puzzle, filling in the Clippers weaknesses with people who he could trust to lead their respective departments.

Coaching is only a certain percentage of the game, though.

Ultimately, the buy-in has to come from the players. Unlike last year, when there were legitimate questions surrounding the leadership of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George when they stepped through the door, the teams first priority was to set a higher standard from top to bottom.

Just looking at things objectively, the initial step in repairing any locker room complications was made when the team decided not to offer Montrezl Harrell a lucrative contract, along with switching coaches. For as helpful and important Harrell was last year, claiming the Sixth Man of the Year trophy and providing unmatched energy on the floor, there is no denying the friction between him and George was real. After the playoff letdown, the anecdotes started to leak regarding comments made between the two. It also wasnt hard to understand which side the leaks were coming from, based on the shade and subtle shots throw at George for not taking accountability for his mistakes or poor play.

It extended beyond Harrell, however. In general, there was a dynamic between the previous members of the Clippers (the superstars) and the old guard that had already battled together through the trenches in 2018-19. There wasnt exactly a constant friction clouding over the team or consistent blowups, which people seem to believe happened all year. That wasnt the case. It was more of a silent displeasure from the guys who were already in Clipper uniforms before June 2019, as they watched Leonard and George enter the fray and be treated differently right off the bat.

So, by nature, things were about to change once the coaching staff was altered and a high-usage player signed with the Clippers rivals in free agency.

There was a very telling moment in late March, before the Clippers first night of a back-to-back in San Antonio. Wrapping up his pregame media session, Ty Lue was asked what comes to mind about Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and his ability to keep San Antonio in the playoff hunt, year after year, for 24 seasons and counting.

When he gave the answer, it was evident Lue had been taking notes throughout his playing and coaching career. He quickly pointed to the most vital ingredient.

The biggest thing with Pop is just accountability, Lue said. I think holding your best players accountable, everyone else falls in line. Just seeing what he did with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginóbili, and Tony Parker, he held those guys accountable. Thats how you build a tradition. Thats how you build a culture.

Regarding the commitment from Leonard and George to step into larger roles this year and fill the leadership void, Lue acknowledged it was a talking point in training camp.

Its something we tried to incorporate at the beginning of the season, Lue said. Just like offense or defense, it takes time. I give PG and Kawhi credit. They have stayed on these guys, worked with these guys, and they are always around. Always trying to do things together. Thats how you build camaraderie.

The vibe around the team is completely different from last season. There is no doubt about it. It does all start with Leonard and George being more involved, but not just from an availability perspective. The Clippers star duo has played the same number of games together (37) as last year and roughly the same amount of minutes (878 this year compared to 890 in their first season).

Its more about their willingness to lead vocally, which wasnt fully the case last year, and being more accessible to the younger players. When two superstars join a new team, there can definitely be some hesitation from the coaches, teammates, and front office members who likely recruited those superstars to step in and correct them if their habits arent ideal. We saw it last year with them being, well ... babied for the simplest way to put it.

In year two of the partnership, the Clippers cultural reset has allowed everyone to start fresh, including Leonard and George. With Lue understanding exactly what it takes to win a championship in this era, from a leadership perspective, one of his first duties was making sure his two high-profile players set a strong example for the entire roster.

I think our coaching staff has done a great job with that as well, just being poised and always being there when the guys want to work, Lue said. Always getting guys to work even when they dont feel like it. Showing film, staying on guys, holding them accountable, and telling guys the truth. I think its all of us combined, the coaching staff and the players. With Kawhi and PG being the leaders of the team, they have really taken initiative to make sure we have the camaraderie and we have the trust.

It also helps to have Leonard and George thriving in the most efficient years of their careers, which can also be attributed to the stylistic changes put in place.

They arent just scoring easier than ever, though. They are consistently making better reads out of the pick-and-roll, taking their passing tendencies to a new level, and putting their teammates in much greater spots to let it fly from the perimeter mostly on wide-open opportunities.

PG and Kawhi have done a great job of just understanding when they can get their own shots and score, but also getting into the paint and creating for their teammates, Lue said. With those guys causing so much attention on the floor, youre going to get open looks if you make the right play. I give all the credit to PG and Kawhi for just making the right plays.

Lues objective to redefine who the Clippers are is just one of his many strengths as a coach.

Pelicans head coach Stan Van Gundy, who had Lue as a player during the 2009 season with the Orlando Magic, has noticed the instant results and collective buy-in that Lue has earned in a short amount of time.

I just know hes a really, really good coach, Van Gundy said. Hes smart with a very even-keeled demeanor. I think hes able to push guys, in a good way. His teams get better over the course of the season. Ty has been good as a head coach right from the beginning. Right from the get-go.

Van Gundy, currently in his 13th year as a head coach and 21st on the NBA sidelines, reflected on how impressive it is for relatively new coaches to adapt so quickly to the NBA grind.

That always amazes me, Van Gundy added. You know, I had so many years in college as a head coach before I got here to the NBA. It amazes me when guys like (Lue), Steve Kerr, and Steve Nash are able to just come in and have that success. But I think Ty is really, really good. I dont know about his progression as a head coach because he was good right away. Hes just continued to get better and better.

When veteran center DeMarcus Cousins was signed by the Clippers to a 10-day contract on Apr. 5, he wasnt sure what to expect. He had been a part of a few different locker rooms up to this point of his career. He had also played nearly every type of role a center could experience in the NBA from being a high-usage star averaging 27 points a night to being a solid bench weapon for a title contender.

Now, he was stepping into a new organization, his fifth since being drafted in 2010, and didnt have a lot of intel about how the Clippers operated.

Before I signed, I thought they were a really good team, Cousins said. I would be lying if I said I really, really paid attention. I didnt earlier on (in the season). But now, coming into it, this team has so much potential, man. Im extremely excited to be a part of this organization and team. Im here to play my part, and Im here to help push this team to bigger heights and just be that spark off the bench.

Having one of his best friends on the team in Rajon Rondo certainly helped him feel more comfortable from the start. Still, it didnt take long for Cousins to pick up on the fine details surrounding this new Clippers culture.

Its a joy to come to work every day, Cousins said after spending three weeks around the team. Its a super chill environment, everybody comes in and works their tails off. Always a good mood in the locker room. I mean, its crazy ... to the point where every single person in our building gets along. You can go hold a conversation with the team chef, the team masseuse, whatever the case may be. Everyone gets along. Thats just an incredible thing.

Keep in mind, this is a four-time All-Star big man who has been involved with the Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets. Hes witnessed everything in 11 years. Hes been around bottom-tier franchises filled with dysfunction, a Finals-bound team in the final year of its dynasty, and behind the scenes with the LeBron-AD Lakers for a brief period of time.

Once the Clippers signed Cousins to a minimum contract for the rest of the season, he mentioned how crucial it was for the team to have such a respectful atmosphere.

With it being such a long season, having the spirit and energy in the building like that on a consistent basis, its a rare thing. This culture is one of a kind. Definitely one of the top organizations Ive ever been a part of.

The most important job of a head coach, aside from setting the tone and making everyone feel equally a part of the team, is to put their players in the best spots to succeed.

Whether its a star player who needs 20-plus possessions of ball-screen action every night, or a third-string center on 10-day contracts trying his best to fit into the teams system, Lue and his staff understand everyone needs to be worked with and attended to. The accessibility and communication within the entire team this season is different.

Its also necessary when Lue has one of the larger playbooks in the league.

Our playbook is the size of dictionary, Cousins said. So Im just trying to get through that, and I want these plays to be second-nature for me so I can fit in. Obviously, I bring a different dynamic to the team and T-Lue has done a great job of incorporating me and my talents and making me feel a part of this. Its been a smooth transition and its still a work in progress.

The different vibe from this season has a lot to do with improved chemistry, but its also the result of a stronger play style, upgraded depth, and positive results from players nobody truly expected to be solid contributors for the Clippers.

Nic Batum immediately sticks out as someone that was a blessing in disguise for the Clippers in the last stretch of free agency. Batum, on a minimum contract, has taken over as one of the leading figures in the locker room and respected voices on the bench.

Batum is constantly in the ear of young players, such as Mann and Kennard, to provide them with added confidence and guidance from someone who has been around the league since 2008.

Terance Mann, who walked right into a 20-minute per night role by necessity this season, has easily been the biggest surprise for the Clippers. Nobody not even the most optimistic people expected him to thrive off the bench and become a positive impact player while breaking past the league-average true shooting mark. He was just too raw last season, with an outside shot that wasnt reliable.

When Lue was asked if any players shooting progression from last season has shocked him the most, he was quick on the draw.

Terance Mann, he said. You know, Shaun Fein, our player development guy, has really done a great job of improving his shot. Terance has a lot of confidence in his three-point shot right now. In a few games this year, down the stretch, making some big threes in timely moments in the game. Im very impressed with how hes been shooting the basketball this year.

Mann shot just 27.3% on corner triples last season, and has increased his efficiency all the way to 43.1% through 61 games this year. Its still on low volume, but thats always going to be the case with the Clippers crowded rotation.

Fein, who is someone Lue frequently mentions throughout the season due to his commitment to player development, is also in his first season with the Clippers after serving as the head coach of the Nets G-League team, the Long Island Nets. Before those duties, he was next to Kenny Atkinson as Brooklyns assistant video coordinator and, eventually, the lead player development coach.

Within every successful organization, everyone must star in their role. The best coaches know when to step aside and let others work to their strengths. Creating an environment where everyone feels empowered, from a coaching to player level, is providing to be the biggest shakeup for this years Clippers versus the initial year of them facing championship expectations.

It doesnt mean they are guaranteed anything in the playoffs. Even the most well-oiled machines throughout NBA history, such as the San Antonio Spurs that Lue pointed to as the model he wanted to put in place, did not win as many titles as they could have.

The Clippers will still need various things to break right for them.

If their health is compromised when the playoffs begin on May 22, thats one roadblock a new culture cant remove. They also have to get the same results out of George and Leonard in crunchtime, when the stakes are unbelievably high.

The Clippers wont win the title unless their two stars lead them to it. Thats why Lue and company had to get to work in November, outlining everything that needed to change in order to make it easier on those guys.

Now, from top to bottom, they are more prepared than last year to make a serious run.