In the Los Angeles derby, the Lakers were completely overwhelmed by the Clippers, suffering a 102-116 defeat. Clippers center Ivica Zubac had a breakout performance, going 9-for-16 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line to finish with 21 points, 19 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks, filling up the stat sheet. In this game, Zubac dominated Anthony Davis, who went 5-for-14 from the field, 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, scoring 16 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, dishing out 3 assists, recording 1 steal, and blocking 3 shots.
Zubac has been playing at the best level of his career this season, averaging 15.0 points, 12.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 61.5%. In today's NBA, where many big men are attempting three-pointers, Zubac sticks to tradition, refraining from shooting threes and focusing on inside scoring. He has set new career highs in both points and rebounds.
Notably, Zubac always seems to be particularly motivated when facing the Lakers, as he started his career with them before being traded to the Clippers. NBA journalist Nalbandian tweeted, "Despite his overwhelming dominance over Anthony Davis and the Lakers tonight, these numbers feel effortless. Zubac is facing the team that inexplicably traded him away and has once again delivered an outstanding performance." These words are likely to strike a chord with the Lakers' management once more.
In this game, Zubac grabbed 8 offensive rebounds, while the Clippers as a team secured 11 offensive rebounds, compared to only 5 for the entire Lakers squad. After the game, Rui Hachimura stated that when facing an opponent like Zubac, who can grab offensive rebounds at will, rebounding must be a collective effort by the team. Lakers head coach Tyronn Lue also praised Zubac after the game, saying, "He's a beast. I think he stands out in certain aspects of offensive rebounding."
Davis struggled against Zubac in this matchup, often opting for jump shots and lacking aggressiveness on offense. Lakers legend James Worthy also commented on Zubac, saying, "I liked him when he was with the Lakers. He's young, has great potential, and works hard. I knew he would contribute to some team, whether as a starter or a substitute."
Now, Zubac is the perfect complement to Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, anchoring the Clippers' frontline. It must be said that the Clippers' current starting lineup is formidable, featuring Harden, Powell, Leonard, Derrick Jones Jr., and Zubac, a well-balanced roster on both offense and defense. The Lakers' starting five were completely outmatched by the Clippers' quintet.