Tag: Ivica Zubac

Cam Reddish to return for the Lakers versus the Clippers on Wednesday

The short-handed Lakers will be getting one player back from injury when they take on the Clippers on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Lakers have had a seemingly endless string of injuries this season. With the stretch run underway, they’re without Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt, arguably their two best perimeter defenders, as well as Christian Wood, their main backup big man.

Their lack of reliable personnel in the frontcourt played a role in them being outrebounded badly on Sunday in their 123-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

The Lakers face another vital contest on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers, who are in fourth place in the Western Conference. Fortunately, they will get a bit of help; forward Cam Reddish will return after missing just over a month of action with an ankle injury.

Reddish isn’t an impact player, but his ability to pressure the ball and go after steals and deflections will help his team.

Not only will the Clippers be without perennial All-Star forward Paul George, but starting center Ivica Zubac is also unable to play versus the Lakers.

The Lakers are in 10th place in the Western Conference with a 31-28 record. They have lost two of their last three games coming out of the All-Star break.

The five greatest draft steals in Lakers history

These five players were the greatest draft steals the Lakers ever came away with.

With the 2023 NBA draft now in the rearview mirror, the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping they have come away with a diamond in the rough.

They took Indiana University Jalen Hood-Schifino with the No. 17 pick. Team executive Rob Pelinka described him as a lottery-level talent. They selected forward Maxwell Lewis at No. 40. He fell into their laps after being expected to perhaps go in the first round.

It had fans wondering if Lewis could be the latest draft steal for the Purple and Gold.

The team has certainly had its share of draft steals either in the second round or late in the first round, especially in recent years. These are the five we think top that list.

Lakers colossally blew it by letting defensive aces Brook Lopez, Ivica Zubac leave for nothing

These were two of Rob Pelinka’s biggest mistakes.

The Los Angeles Lakers once had Brook Lopez and Ivica Zubac on the roster at the same time. Now, they’re two of the NBA’s best defensive centers.

Lopez left Los Angeles for a one-year, $3.3 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks in July 2018. He admitted to ESPN’s Zach Lowe that he was surprised the Lakers did not pursue him harder to return for a second season. Much like Alex Caruso did, he said he “would have wanted” to return to Los Angeles.

Zubac was selected by the Lakers at No. 32 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft. But on Feb. 7, 2019, he was traded to the crosstown rival Clippers in exchange for Mike Muscala (who played just 17 total games with the Lakers).

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Clippers never even called the Lakers about Zubac and “couldn’t believe” how he fell into their laps. It was a laughable trade back then, and it remains so to this day — especially with how well both Zubac and Lopez are performing.

Zubac, who finished with a career-high 18 rebounds on Thursday, grew up as a fan of the Lakers. Lopez was born in North Hollywood and also rooted for the Lakers.

Both are excellent big men who would fit in well on the Lakers as relatively low-usage players that do not require the ball on offense but provide stellar defensive impact.

Worse yet, both are natural fives that would allow Anthony Davis to play at the four — where he would prefer to play. Davis, instead, has played out of position for Los Angeles. Lopez played for Lakers head coach Darvin Ham when he was an assistant for the Bucks, and both big men would do well in his defensive-oriented approach.

Even if neither was a long-term fit, they clearly had more value (even as potential trade chips) than Los Angeles was ever able to extract in return.

It didn’t work out for Lopez and Zubac on the Lakers, but let’s take a moment to marvel at what they’ve accomplished on the court so far this season.

NBA Twitter reacts to KJ Martin’s poster dunk on Ivica Zubac

KJ Martin threw down an emphatic dunk over Clippers center Ivica Zubac, and #Rockets fans exploded at Toyota Center and across social media.

Now in his third NBA season, KJ Martin is making a push for consistent starter’s minutes with the Houston Rockets. The 21-year-old is averaging a career-high 11.2 points (51.4% FG) and 5 rebounds in 25.5 minutes, and his elite athleticism and defensive versatility makes him a potential spark plug across the frontcourt.

Just ask Ivica Zubac and Robert Covington of Monday’s opponent at Toyota Center, the Los Angeles Clippers.

Martin threw down a pair of emphatic second-half dunks as Houston attempted to claw back into the game, including a jam directly over Zubac that sent the home crowd and Twitter into a frenzy. The 6-foot-6 forward drew a technical foul for his astonished reaction, but it was a small price to pay to celebrate a career highlight.

Here’s a look at Martin’s highlight dunks, along with the wild reaction from fans across social media after it all went down. Unfortunately for the Rockets, Houston lost, but attendees were at least able to enjoy the impromptu dunk contest.

Takeaways: Paul George, Clippers steal game late from KJ Martin, Rockets

KJ Martin (23 points) and the Rockets had a golden opportunity to end their losing streak, but Paul George (35 points) and the host Clippers stormed back in Monday’s closing seconds.

The young and rebuilding Rockets (1-7) have lost a season-high four straight games after Monday’s 95-93 loss (box score) in Los Angeles. Houston led by five with 1:27 left before allowing the Clippers (3-4) to outscore them 7-0 to end the game, a run punctuated by two difficult shots from Paul George in the final 40 seconds.

George scored a game-high 35 points for the Clippers on 15-of-26 shooting (57.7%) and 5-of-10 on 3-pointers (50%). He also recorded 9 rebounds, 8 assists and 6 steals.

The hosts were somewhat short-handed with veterans Kawhi Leonard (right Kawhi Leonard (right knee injury management), John Wall (left knee injury management), and Robert Covington (health and safety protocol) out on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Rockets certainly didn’t feel sorry for them since they were on a back-to-back, themselves, and badly in need of a victory. Unfortunately, they scored just three points in the game’s final four minutes and couldn’t take advantage.

With Jae’Sean Tate again sidelined by a right ankle injury, KJ Martin absorbed more minutes at forward and scored a team-high 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting (52.9%). Alperen Sengun had 14 points (50% FG) and 9 rebounds, while Jalen Green continued his recent shooting slump with 13 points on 4-of-17 shooting (23.5%).

Veteran big man Ivica Zubac had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks for the Clippers, including a key dunk late after Sengun was removed from the game by Rockets head coach Stephen Silas.

Scroll on for highlights, analysis and postgame interviews from Crypto.com Arena. In what is effectively a home-and-home series, the Rockets and Clippers will meet again at Houston’s Toyota Center on Wednesday; the tip is set for 7 p.m. Central.

Ivica Zubac curiously launched a full court shot for absolutely no reason, and it almost connected

I’m not quite sure what that was.

You know that feeling you get in your stomach when you watch someone do something that you know they absolutely should not be doing?

That is exactly how everyone felt when they watched L.A. Clippers big man Ivica Zubac curiously launch a heave from 73 feet with more than eight seconds left in the half while playing against the Thunder on Tuesday night.

Your eyebrows intrinsically raise as you can’t help but wonder what the heck you just witnessed. It was obviously nothing more than an accident, but boy does it make your brain feel funny when you see it happen:

Zubac ended the game with a career-high seven blocks during the loss against Oklahoma City. He is in the midst of a fantastic start to the season thus far for the Clippers.

That streak would have looked even better if his bizarre heave connected.

The Clippers currently have the second-worst offensive rating in the NBA, and while this is an anomaly and not emblematic of that problem, it is still just such a strange thing that happened.

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Reaction: Jalen Green heats up, but Clippers hand Rockets 10th straight loss

Rockets rookie Jalen Green has scored 20 or more points in three of his last four outings, but it again wasn’t enough to stop the losing streak for the Rockets — which is now at 10 games.

Two nights after Ivica Zubac was the clear story with 15 rebounds and 6 blocks in a narrow win at Houston, the Los Angeles big man was even more efficient in Tuesday’s rematch and made sure it wasn’t as close.

Zubac had 22 points (66.7% FG) and 12 rebounds in only 25 minutes, leading his Clippers to a 113-100 win (box score) at Toyota Center over the young Rockets. Rookie guard Jalen Green heated up in the fourth quarter and finished with 20 points on 9-of-21 shooting (42.9%), along with 4 rebounds and 2 steals. However, it proved to be too little, too late.

Reggie Jackson added 17 points and 6 assists for the Clippers, while Marcus Morris Sr. scored 18 points and hit 4-of-6 on 3-pointers. (66.7%).

Christian Wood had 17 points (63.6% FG) and 8 rebounds for Houston, but he frequently struggled to match up defensively with the stronger Zubac. Jae’Sean Tate had 12 points (50.0% FG) and 9 rebounds.

With the loss, Houston (15-46) continues to own the Western Conference’s worst record. They have now lost 10 straight games, which is their second-longest skid this season. Meanwhile, the Clippers (33-31) have won four straight and are building on their lead for the No. 8 spot in the West playoff race. Scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction.

Clippers at Rockets: Prediction, point spread, odds, over/under, betting picks (March 1)

The Rockets nearly beat the Clippers on Sunday, but Los Angeles remains a modest favorite (-6.5) for Tuesday’s rematch at Toyota Center. The interior presence of Ivica Zubac is a big reason why.

In the second of two straight games between the teams, the Houston Rockets host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night. If you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We have the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as all the information you need to make the best bets at Tipico Sportsbook.

The Rockets-Clippers game tips at 7 p.m. CST and can be viewed or streamed via AT&T SportsNet Southwest and NBA League Pass.

The Clippers (32-31) have won three consecutive games to climb above .500, which currently gives them the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference playoff race. Houston (15-45), on the other hand, is on a nine-game losing streak and continues to own the worst record in the West.

However, the closest the Rockets have come to winning in that tough stretch was Sunday’s 99-98 loss to Los Angeles at Toyota Center. It was Houston’s best defensive effort in weeks, but it was somewhat offset by an excessively cold shooting night by backcourt starters Jalen Green and Dennis Schroder, who shot a combined 8-of-33 (24.2%).

If the Rockets can sustain their defensive improvement from Sunday and see those guards return to form, that could be the ticket to finally ending their prolonged slide. To do that, though, they need to find ways to attack the rim more successfully than they did two days ago — when big man Ivica Zubac owned the paint with 15 rebounds and 6 blocked shots.

Reaction: Alperen Sengun impresses in limited time as Clippers edge Rockets

Houston’s defense improved versus the Clippers and key reserves (Alperen Sengun, KJ Martin, Garrison Mathews) played well, but it wasn’t quite enough to avoid a ninth straight loss.

Rookie big man Alperen Sengun impressed with 15 points in only 16 minutes on 5-of-8 shooting (62.5%), but it wasn’t enough for Houston in Sunday’s 99-98 home loss (box score) to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The young and rebuilding Rockets (15-45), who have the NBA’s worst defense on the 2021-22 season to date, had their best defensive effort in some time. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome a cold-shooting night from the starting backcourt of Dennis Schroder and Jalen Green.

Schroder had 11 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds, but he shot just 4-of-15 (26.7%) from the field. Green scored 10 points but shot just 4-of-18 (22.2%), and one of those misses was a 3-pointer in the closing seconds that would have tied the game at Toyota Center.

Kevin Porter Jr., Houston’s usual starter at point guard, did not play due to a sprained left ankle. He is considered day-to-day moving forward.

The Clippers were led by point guard Reggie Jackson (26 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists) and big man Ivica Zubac (14 points, 15 rebounds, 6 blocks). Those blocks included a rejection of Houston’s Christian Wood in the final 20 seconds on a driving attempt to tie the game.

Wood had 15 points (50.0% FG) and 7 rebounds in his 32 minutes, and he closed the game despite Sengun’s offense off the bench. The Rockets stayed competitive with defense and hot shooting from their second unit, with Sengun flanked by Garrison Mathews (17 points, 4-of-8 on 3-pointers) and Kenyon Martin (10 points, 3-of-3 on 3-pointers).

With the loss, Houston has lost nine straight games, which is their second-longest losing streak of the season. The Clippers (32-31) have won three straight. Scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction.

Only 11 players played the full schedule, the lowest total since 1967

Now that it is behind us, there was nothing easy about the 2020-21 NBA regular season, especially for those participating in every game.

Now that it is behind us, there was nothing easy about the 2020-21 NBA regular season, especially for those participating in every game.

Whether it was due to injuries some may attribute to a shortened offseason or various restrictions and complications related to COVID-19, it was incredibly rare to see a player on the floor every single night. Ultimately, when it was all said and done, there were only 11 players who were able to play in all 72 games.

If that number seems low, you are absolutely right, as it was nearly half of the total from the most recent full season (21) in 2018-19. In fact, since the league moved to an 82-game schedule in 1967-68, this is the lowest number we have seen.

There is nothing surprising about only 11 players completing the full 72-game slate when considering the chaotic schedule that teams faced this year. But for perspective, while fewer than a dozen players appeared in each game for their squad, that number was as high as 58 in 1999-00.

While it is always impressive for a player to be counted on night after night, this year, that accomplishment deserves even more praise than ever before. In this case, it may even factor into the MVP discussions as Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic was the only All-Star who played all games.

Another individual worth saluting includes No. 1 overall pick Anthony Edwards, who played the full season despite a coaching and ownership change for his Minnesota Timberwolves.

No one should be too surprised to see RJ Barrett, who finished with the second-most total minutes played in his first season under New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, widely known to expect intense minutes from his roster.

Others who met these qualifications for top playoff contenders include Mikal Bridges (Phoenix), Bojan Bogdanovic (Utah), Georges Niang (Utah) and Ivica Zubac (LA Clippers).

Hopefully, next season will be more normal and we can see more players get the full 82-game experience.

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