“We have a chance to do some special things,” says Clippers HC Ty Lue. But is he wrong though? With Kawhi Leonard and James Harden leading the attack and Ivica Zubac defending like a Croat warrior, their recent form has Kendrick Perkins thinking they can win it all. They’re fresh off a 122-117 win against the Spurs as well, which extends their winning run to 5. And a 35-year-old Harden has us reminiscing his Rockets days. But they’ve taken a toll on him.
He’s been nursing a foot sprain since their loss to OKC back in March. He took a knee from Lu Dort which then caused him to appear to roll his ankle and briefly sit out. He did confirm the discomfort after the game: “I’m alright. I got bumped, I got kneed in the thigh, and I rolled my foot.” It was oddly reminiscent of when Lu Dort accidentally injured Paul George in March of 2023, which saw George remain out throughout the NBA playoffs. But he’s been a demon despite the injury, and according to Ty Lue, has his team to thank for that.
“[The] other guys stepped up –Bogey off the bench, Zu, Norm scoring the basketball was huge, DJ scoring the basketball was huge. So we can take some pressure off James in a night like this when he’s feeling tired and sluggish. So just having to do whatever we gotta do to win the game, fight through it and not throw the guys into a bit of a job.”
James Harden, LA Clippers guard (Image Credit: Imagn)
In the absence of Kawhi, the quartet of Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, Derrick Jones Jr., and Bogdan Bogdanovic had a field day. It’s usually James Harden making up for the Klaw’s absence. So it would’ve been refreshing for the Lob City to see the rest of the gang turn up when it matters. A 25/5/3 performance by Norm made it feel like it was the norm. Meanwhile, DJ played just 26 minutes and still managed 18 points. Same for Bogdan- 19 points in 26 minutes.
And as for Ivica Zubac- he arguably put in the MOTM performance with a 24/5/20 double-double. In the postgame press, Lue touched on exactly how Zubac managed such stats in the face of adversity.
Ivica Zubac’s breakout secret revealed by coach Ty Lue
Delivering a 28-point, 20-rebound performance on his birthday against the Hornets- the first such stat line since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971- must’ve made Big Zu feel immortal. And if you see his season so far, I don’t think he should feel otherwise. He’s up for the DPOTY alongside a veteran center like Draymond Green- which should tell you the entire story. If you were wondering how his season came about, Ty Lue has come to the rescue.
“I think having to play more minutes, [having] had a great training camp as well, just coming in, being in decent shape, getting in better shape throughout training camp. We’ve been having to lean on him a lot this season so I think he’s gotten in better shape just playing a lot throughout the course of the season,” said Lue to the media after the Spurs win.
But this is just a nutshell game. He’s been doing this game-in, game-out for Lob City. His fitness was always on point- it was just his numbers that had been underwhelming. But having just turned 28, his rich vein of form couldn’t have come at a better time. His season averages of 16.6/12.6/2.6 with 1.2 blocks and a 62.6 FG% in 32.6 minutes per game are ALL career highs. Yep, every single stat has been improved this season. And how? Just hard work, dedication to the craft, and faith repaid.
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The rest of the Clippers squad stepping up is a huge plus to Ty Lue’s band of misfits heading into the playoffs. Knowing he doesn’t need to rely on aging stars like James Harden and Kawhi Leonard is a tool for success. And Ivica Zubac is just proving to be exactly what the doctor ordered.
The post Clippers HC Ty Lue Clears Stance on James Harden’s Health as Truth Behind Ivica Zubac’s Breakout Season Revealed appeared first on EssentiallySports.
