Ty Lue on Los Angeles wildfires as Kawhi Leonard steps away from Clippers

As wildfires raged in the Los Angeles area on Wednesday, the Clippers were in Denver, attempting to focus on a basketball game that coach Ty Lue emphasized was secondary to the safety of friends and family back home.

“It’s hard to put things like this behind you when so many people are affected, but it’s something we’ve gotta try to do tonight,” Lue said before opening tip against the Nuggets at Ball Arena. “It’s going to be tough. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to do it or not.”

Clippers star Kawhi Leonard stepped away from the team on Wednesday to be with his family, five days after he returned from a knee injury to play his first game of the season. “You definitely have to take care of home,” Lue said. “And so (Leonard) totally had my support, 100%. Going back, checking on his family and kids and making sure they’re well. And he got back, and they’re doing OK, so just happy and thankful for that.”

Lue also said that “a few people on the staff” were impacted by the fires and stepped away. As of Wednesday evening, according to the Associated Press, at least 100,000 residents in the Los Angeles area were under evacuation orders as attempts to contain three separate wildfires continued, from the Pacific Palisades inland to Pasadena.

“It’s been tough,” the 47-year-old coach said. “Some people close to us, they were affected by it, but also our friends, families and neighbors who (are) all going through the same thing. Very tough day on homeowners, business owners, and so hopefully we can get control on the fires as soon as we can. But our hearts and prayers go out to everyone who’s involved. … It’s tough, because life is bigger than basketball, and the well-being of your friends, families and neighbors, that comes first.”