The Los Angeles Clippers are 6–1 since Ivica Zubac went down with an injury, and Kawhi Leonard is playing at his best in that stretch.
Is that just a coincidence — or has Zubac’s absence fundamentally changed how this team functions?
Just when things seemed unsalvageable, Ivica Zubac went down— another blow to a roster already stretched thin. The team’s starting center was playing at a high level, averaging 15.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, and one block per game. The center position was the most critical for the Clippers, as the backup was Brook Lopez, who had not been playing at a high level this season and rookie Yanic Konan Niderhauser, who, despite his talent, had not played enough minutes to gain confidence on the court.
Given this situation, NBA fans and experts expected the worst, if it could get any worse, for the Los Angeles Clippers. However, Zubac’s absence, contrary to all predictions, proved beneficial for the team, which since found a six-game winning streak and is performing at its best level all season.
What The Clippers Have Gained from Zubac’s Absence
The key here is not Zubac’s level of play, but rather how well he fits into the Clippers’ system and with his teammates. The 32nd pick in the 2016 draft is an anchor on defense and in the paint for the Clippers, but he doesn’t fit into their offense. The Clippers are better off with a center who can spread the floor.
With an open center like Brook Lopez, the team switches to playing a real five-out, widening the court and forcing defenses to cover much more ground. There is no longer a fixed body occupying the paint or a defender waiting in the dunker spot to help.
This translates into more lanes to penetrate, more space to attack the rim, and defenses in constant rotation. Help arrives later and from further away, which increases the opponent’s margin for error and facilitates offensive decision-making.
More Space for Harden and Kawhi
The two stars of the team directly benefit from this new setup. Without a fixed center near the rim, doubling from the weak side is much more complicated. Harden begins his penetrations with help arriving one or two steps later, which is a massive advantage for a player with his reading and control of the pace.
Kawhi Leonard, for his part, finds more freedom in the mid-post. Defenses can no longer collapse as quickly or send automatic help from the paint. The result is a more comfortable, more aggressive, and more efficient Kawhi. It is no coincidence that, in games without Zubac, Leonard has posted his most efficient scoring stretch of the season, including multiple 40-point performances.
Doubling in the Post Comes at a Price
The five-out forces defenses to make uncomfortable decisions. Every help means leaving a shooter alone on the perimeter. It’s no longer a matter of closing the paint without consequences: any extra step is paid for with an open three-pointer.
Defenses must “choose their poison”. This allows constant clear-outs for Kawhi and Harden or to concede open shots from outside. Although they lose interior presence and offensive rebounding, the stars’ efficiency increases because the context favors them.
Brook Lopez’s Impact Without The Ball
Brook Lopez doesn’t need to score 20 points to be valuable. His mere presence on the perimeter directly affects the offense. The fact that he opens up the paint forces tough defense on every pick-and-pop and stretches the opposing defense. In addition, he continues to contribute on defense by changing shots and occupying space well.
His impact goes far beyond the box score. Even if his percentages aren’t spectacular night after night, the team plays differently with him on the court. And that, for a team that thrives on generating advantages, is key.
More Three-Pointers, a Structural Necessity
The Clippers are 10th in three-point percentage (17th before Zubac injury) and 19th in attempts. Not only do they shoot infrequently, but they also don’t do it particularly well. With Brook Lopez open, the team needs—and generates—more three-point shots, which are essential to raising the offensive ceiling.
Lopez is shooting around 40% from three-point range, which is more than enough to punish help defense and force defenders to respect his shot. It’s not about forcing shots, but about accepting that this team needs more outside volume.
John Collins, One of the Big Beneficiaries
Without Zubac occupying the paint, John Collins finds himself in a much more favorable situation. There is more space to cut, less traffic around the rim, and more options to attack with an advantage. Collins can better exploit his strengths as a roller, in transition, and in the post against smaller defenders.
The space allows him to play more fluidly and with fewer forced decisions. Although his numbers as a screener are not brilliant, his possession volume is very low. With more space and Harden handling the ball, Collins can become a constant vertical threat and a dangerous finisher on short rolls.
Yannick Niederhauser’s Opportunity
Zubac’s absence also opens the door to different profiles. Yannick Niederhauser brings something that neither Zubac nor Lopez has: rim-running, speed, and transition. He is an athletic center, capable of running the court and getting to the rim before the defense.
https://twitter.com/LAClippers/status/2007177847136493900?s=20
Forcing the opponent to protect the rim in transition creates open three-pointers for the players coming in as trailers. In the last four games, the Swiss center has averaged 16 minutes per night with 72.7% field goal shooting, figures that reflect clarity in his role and efficiency in his decisions. His connection with James Harden in the pick and roll has been particularly striking, as he knows how to set screens well, read the timing, and finish near the rim. His ability as a rim runner offers a different offensive resource than Brook Lopez, who is more static and open.
Zubac’s absence has not made the Clippers more talented. It has made them more functional. Despite being the team’s best center, his presence compresses the floor in ways that limit what this roster does best. Without him, the Clippers play faster, wider, and with clearer reads for their stars. It’s a paradox, not a contradiction.
Ivica Zubac can be a very good player, and still not be the right answer for this version of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Leave a comment