'The Gift of the Rival?' Lakers' biggest mistake... Full of skill with Clippers
'The Gift of the Rival?' Lakers' biggest mistake... Full of skill with Clippers
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Jubachi has grown into an All-Star Big Man.
The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 135-104 during the 2024-2025 NBA regular season at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. The victory kept the Clippers in seventh place in the Western Conference. They are just 1.5 games apart from the third-ranked Los Angeles Lakers.
James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, the two-punch players, were active. Harden led the team with 29 points and 14 assists, and Leonard had 29 points and six rebounds.
It was a game where expectations for the playoff stage grew. The Clippers' recent performance is blinding. The result is a result, but the process is very good. Leonard's condition is particularly impressive. Leonard, who was absent due to an injury at the beginning of the season, has returned from the middle of the season and has been in good health. The recent performance award is Leonard himself during his heyday as we know him.
He easily scores by outmaneuvering the opposing defender through strength and skill, and is also accurate in mid-range shots and 3-point shots. Although he does not seem to overpower the opposing striker like he used to, he is still an excellent defender.
Harden's performance doesn't need words. Harden, who filled Leonard's void by himself from the beginning of the season, has maintained good performance throughout the season. He has shown his ability to induce free throws, make 3-pointers, and even break through the basket recently. Moreover, his weaknesses in defense are being protected under Tyrone Lue's tactics. Harden was not skillful when he was in his prime, but he is still a top-notch point guard.
There is a player who must be mentioned here. It is Ivica Zubacchi, the starting center of the Clippers. Zubacchi has been playing as well as Harden and Leonard this season.
Jubachi is not a player who throws outside shots, including three-point shots, which is a trend in modern basketball. He is a classic big man who enjoys physical struggle and post-ups under the basket like the old center. These days, this type of big man is excluded as it does not fit the current trend in modern basketball. However, Jubachi is different. He has overwhelming presence under the basketball.
Currently, there is no player in the NBA who can beat Jubachi. Jubachi is not only strong but also skillful. He has a smooth finishing touch near the basket. In addition, he has excellent teamwork with the point guard Harden. The two players, who have worked together since the last season, have become acquainted with each other very well.
Zubacic's record this season is 16.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks. His field pitching success rate stands at 62.4 percent. He is writing double-doubles in almost every game. As you can see from the fielding success rate, there are few ups and downs. Due to Zubacic's presence, the Clippers do not have to worry about losing their game under the basket.
What's interesting is that it was the local rival Lakers that sent Jubaci to the Clippers. Jubaci was the 32nd overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Zubacic has performed well since he was a rookie. He averaged 7.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in his rookie season. The Lakers will trade Zubacic in the middle of the 2018-2019 season, his third year. At the time, the trade target was Mike Muscala. Muscala is the opposite type of big man to Zubaci. He is not competitive under the basket, but he is a big man who can shoot on the outside.
At the time, LeBron James joined the Lakers in his first season, and the prospects on the team had not yet been cleared of traffic. In the process, Lakers leaders did not appreciate Zubac's potential. Magic Johnson, the former Lakers president, made the decision.
Of course, even if Zubaci remained with the Lakers, it is possible that he would not have grown as much as the Clippers. However, the obvious fact would have been that Zubaci was much more helpful. Muscala, who was Zubaci's trade target, did nothing and immediately left the team as an FA. 토토사이트
In the end, the trade was a huge blessing for the Clippers. After moving to the Clippers, Zubaci became the starting center and even signed a relatively low-cost contract. He also signed a three-year, $58.6 million extension with the Clippers in the summer of 2024, staying with the team. Considering Zubaci's current performance, this is a bargain.
Even in the NBA, trade between rival teams rarely occurs. There are many small trades that do not change much power even if they happen. This week's Bach trade was also expected to be a small trade at the time, but it became a bigger wavelength than expected.