Should the LA Clippers do more with starting center Ivica Zubac? | NBA news

LA Clippers coach Doc Rivers often praises Ivica Zubac, adding that the team never makes plays for him. Should Western Conference heavyweights do more with their starting center?

On almost every LA Clippers broadcast, you’ll hear three things being said about third-year starting center Zubac.

First of all, you will hear that he is an excellent role player that the team is fortunate to have. Second, you’ll recall that the trade that got the Clippers from the Crosstown Lakers in exchange for a mere hire from veteran Mike Muscala (in what turned out to be a non-playoff season) was an outright robbery. And third, after making a basket, it will invariably be pointed out that Clippers head coach Doc Rivers says the team doesn’t make any plays for him.

The first of them is undeniably true. In the regular season, Zubac averaged 8.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.9 blocks per game, a very useful level of production, especially when doing it in just 18.4 minutes per game, a low number for a starter and one that could perhaps stand to grow.

In fact, in the postseason, Zubac’s production has grown, adding 10.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.8 blocks in a slight increase of 24.5 minutes per night. Zubac plays good defense around the basket, always has a good rebound rate, is an efficient spiker as a roller to the rim, and also serves as an occasional mid-range guy who can hit a few downs and deliver a bit of verticality. It is not rigid. Far from there. He is very fluid in motion and skilled at what he does.

The second is even more true. Muscala averaged just 5.9 points and 2.6 rebounds in 17 games ultimately meaningless to the Lakers before going to the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency, and the fact that the Clippers had to take over Michael Beasley’s redundant contract in the deal. it was insignificant, since it also came off the books during the summer.

In this way, they have been able to get a piece in the short, medium and long term for the price of practically nothing; What little Muscala (a piece that fills in the salary of the Tobias Harris deal acquired the day before) could potentially offer you, Patrick Patterson is now doing for minimum wage anyway.

Regarding the third point, however, while it is an exaggeration to say that the plays are never made for him, in reality there are not many, and there is enough truth in them to ask questions. Should it be true? If you have a versatile and capable finisher like this, couldn’t you do more with it?

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In a way befitting the Clippers’ overall offensive style, surely they could. The days when the orthodox group thought it argued that a 7-foot-1 player should hit the post by default are long gone. Although Zubac has had some success in doing so (scoring 32 points on 35 pole possessions in the regular season, a mark almost exactly the league average), the 0.914 points per possession he averages as a post player has not is the answer.

However, it is surely possible to find more opportunities in such a well-spaced offensive unit to land more hits directly into the basket for this highly efficient spiker.

One of the great strengths of these Clippers is the fact that, in Kawhi Leonard, they have a player who can go anywhere on the court, no matter what defense he faces. They also have a pretty cool bench version of this, in the form of Lou Williams, who may always want to go to your left hand, but can usually get there.

Combined with the talent and versatility of Paul George and a plethora of shooters, including Landry Shamet, Marcus Morris and Patrick Beverley, the Clippers are a very well-spaced unit that is difficult for any team to defend.

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However, a key part of that is also, or should be, Zubac, one of the best men in the league. A good athlete for his size, who is fast and does a good job of circumventing defenders instead of cutting through them, he averaged 1,192 points per possession as a player on the roll in the regular season, increasing that to 1,301 points per possession on cuts. Both are very healthy brands.

Just because the Clippers have very good isolation weapons doesn’t force them to have to isolate themselves as often as they do. It surely follows that Leonard and Williams benefit more if they have a man on the roll that the defenders also have to cover, as it means less defensive pressure against them and a better ground spacing around them.

In particular, Williams, great as he is, looks at Zubac quite often, whether it’s with a bounce pass or a lob, perhaps Zubac’s option could be employed and implored. Zubac doesn’t have the Montrezl Harrell blast, nor does he seem like the vocal desire to get the ball, but the Clippers know the weapon they have on the move (and increasingly on the post) with him. Perhaps they should also do the same with the young Croatian.

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Zubac also has an important defensive role to play, especially in this Western Conference semifinal series. Despite the awkward moments, he seems to be getting better against the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic every time they play, and while Jokic enjoys the strength advantage (and of course he sees every passing angle out there to see), the activity, Zubac’s length and improved stance have made him a useful one-on-one defensive option against ‘The Joker’.

If the Clippers can defend Jokic one-on-one, they won’t have to send as much help, so they won’t create as many passing angles and shooting threats. Zubac is also clearly faster than Jokic, allowing him to beat him down the court and out-rebound him on offensive rebounds, another key area he regularly contributes to. These are not things that Mike Muscala can do.

Zubac is certainly not perfect. Although he has improved his footwork and reads when defending the perimeter, opponents (including Jamal Murray) are always trying to attract him and he can be prone to fouls. He wants to back off defensively, but while he hits a few shots around the basket, he’s not an elite rim protector there either.

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On the other hand, if he is not going to be an elite defender in any area of ​​the court, this in turn may serve as one more argument as to why he should have a bigger offensive role.

Zubac envisions this team on both ends of the court. especially offensively, where he is a bastion of efficiency and deference.

When you have guns like Leonard, Williams, and George offensively, you want players around you who finish with poise and who know what they should be doing. Zubac is one, so maybe it’s time to rely on your patience, hands, and touch on your paint and roller more often.

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