Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Strong double-double not enough
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Zubac produced 18 points (7-11 FG, 4-5 FT), 13 rebounds and one block across 27 minutes during Thursday's 120-114 loss to the Warriors.
Zubac appears to be finding his niche with the new-look Clippers, as the big man has recorded three double-doubles over his last four games. During that stretch, he has averaged 16.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks in 28.0 minutes.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Active at both ends Wednesday
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Zubac racked up 14 points (7-12 FG), eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks over 30 minutes during Wednesday's 131-117 victory over the Kings.
Zubac finished with a solid stat line and came quite close to posting what would've been his third straight double-double. The big man is making the most of his touches near the rim in an offense led by several dominant ball handlers such as James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, and he remains valuable in all formats, both due to his starting role but also due to his two-way contributions. He's averaging 14.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game over his last five outings.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Dominates with 23 points
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Zubac closed Monday's 113-104 loss to the Nuggets with 23 points (9-15 FG, 5-8 FT), 14 rebounds, one assist and one block over 32 minutes.
Nikola Jokic (back) took the night off, so Zubac went to battle with DeAndre Jordan. Zubac's 23 points mark a new season high, while his 14 rebounds matched his season best. Zubac is posting similar numbers to his 2022-23 season in terms of counting stats, but he's on pace to shoot a career-low 60.4 percent from the free-throw line.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Third double-double of season
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Zubac posted 11 points (5-8 FG, 1-5 FT), 14 rebounds and one assist in 23 minutes during Saturday's 107-88 win over Dallas.
Zubac recorded a double-double for the first time since Nov. 8, and this 14-rebound haul was his best mark of the campaign. Zubac has a secondary role on a star-studded offense surrounded by Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden, but Zubac can get the job done as a rim protector and finisher. Zubac is averaging 9.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in November.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Flirts with double-double
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Zubac registered 12 points (5-7 FG, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds and one assist across 26 minutes during Wednesday's 109-102 victory over the Spurs.
Zubac flirts with a double-double most nights despite handling a secondary offensive role. He's averaging similar numbers in most categories compared to last season, but he has seen an uptick in blocks this year, posting a career-high 1.5 per game.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Grabs 13 rebounds in loss
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Zubac accumulated nine points (2-8 FG, 5-6 FT), 13 rebounds, three assists and one block over 26 minutes during Tuesday's 111-108 loss to the Nuggets.
Opposing centers should never expect much when they line up opposite Nikola Jokic, but Zubac was able to collect his share of boards. Zubac's single-digit scoring total isn't out of the ordinary, as he's failed to reach double-digits six times over 10 games. The scoring deficiency inhibits his ability to record double-doubles, which somewhat limits his fantasy upside.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Comes close to double-double
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Zubac registered 12 points (5-9 FG, 2-4 FT), eight rebounds, one assist and two blocks over 22 minutes during Friday's 144-126 loss to Dallas.
Zubac ended just two rebounds away from posting a double-double. While he'll never be tasked with carrying the offense, especially considering all the players surrounding him, he is a good finisher near the rim and provides value as a potential double-double threat every night. Zubac has two double-doubles on the season and has already scored in double digits four times.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Strong defensive effort
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Zubac finished Monday's 111-97 loss to the Knicks with eight points (3-3 FG, 2-4 FT), seven rebounds, three blocks and one steal across 30 minutes.
Zubac played a season-high 30 minutes, but his production remained similar to previous games. He's not known as a shot blocker, but Zubac has swatted at least one shot in five of six appearances, multiple shots three times and is averaging a career-best 1.8 per game. If Zubac can maintain that level of production all season, he'll certainly outperform his ADP, given he has a solid floor as a consistent double-double threat.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Good to go against Orlando
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Zubac (quadriceps) is in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Magic, Joey Linn of SI.com reports.
Zubac was questionable ahead of Tuesday's matchup due to his quad injury, but he'll be able to suit up and start against Orlando. The 26-year-old big man has averaged 14.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 22.7 minutes across his first three appearances this season.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Questionable for Tuesday
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Zubac (quadriceps) is listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against the Magic, Joey Linn of SI.com reports.
Zubac was held out of Monday's practice, but he's being considered a game-time call for Tuesday's contest. The team will likely re-evaluate the center during morning shootaround to determine his availability for Tuesday evening.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Not practicing Monday
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Zubac won't participate in Monday's practice session due to a quad injury, Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.com reports.
Zubac had a solid performance Sunday against the Spurs with 16 points, eight rebounds and a block in 22 minutes, but he's apparently dealing with a quad issue afterward. It's not yet clear whether he'll be able to suit up for Tuesday's game against Orlando, but Mason Plumlee and Robert Covington would be candidates for increased run if Zubac is sidelined.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Double-double in season debut
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Zubac amassed 20 points (8-10 FG, 4-5 FT), 12 rebounds and four blocks across 26 minutes during Wednesday's 123-111 victory over Portland.
Zubac had an excellent showing and was effective in containing Deandre Ayton during the contest. Zubac's performance was especially good considering he saw only 26 minutes on the floor, which will be his usual allotment. Mason Plumlee is a productive backup at the five, and the Clippers tend to play small ball and run three-forward sets, both of which curb Zubac's usage.
Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Grabs eight rebounds in victory
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Zubac recorded 13 points (6-8 FG, 1-3 FT), eight rebounds and three blocked shots in Tuesday's 116-103 win over the Nuggets.
Zubac's path to a starting role is clear this season, as there isn't much competition on the roster beyond Mason Plumlee. The Clippers will occasionally plug in backups like Nicolas Batum and Marcus Morris against certain opponents, so Zubac's output will be capped often. Despite his starting role, Zubac is not in the highest echelon of NBA centers but can be a serviceable backup if he's available late in drafts.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Cleared to play
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Zubac (back) has been cleared for Tuesday's preseason contest against Denver, Joey Linn of Sports Illustrated reports.
Zubac suffered from back spasms during a preseason game against the Jazz on Oct. 10 and has been limited in practice for most of the week. However, it sounds like he's in the clear and will get a difficult test against Nikola Jokic.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Limited again Friday
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Zubac (back) was a limited participant in Friday's practice session, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.
Zubac will be able to participate in pre-practice workouts as he continues to recover from a back injury, but he won't be able to take part in the full practice session. It's not yet clear whether he'll be available for Tuesday's preseason game against the Nuggets, but the Clippers seem to be bringing him along slowly in his recovery process.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Participates in some drills
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Zubac (back) participated in some drills during Thursday's practice session, Law Murray of The Athletic reports.
A previous report indicated that Zubac wouldn't participate in practice, but coach Tyronn Lue clarified that the center still participated in some drills. Although he wasn't a full participant in practice, Zubac appears to be progressing well in his recovery. It's unclear whether he'll be available for Tuesday's preseason game against the Nuggets.
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Clippers' Ivica Zubac: Won't practice Thursday
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Zubac (back) won't participate in Thursday's practice but is progressing well in his recovery, Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.com reports.
Zubac exited Tuesday's preseason contest against the Jazz early with back spasms. He will likely need to log a practice before suiting up in Tuesday's preseason matchup with the Nuggets.
