Ivica Zubac serves up another reminder of his importance to the Clippers

Vanasco

In my preview ahead of the Denver Nuggets game, I said that, while it could be a game defined by what was missing in terms of personnel, it should instead be defined by what it does have in terms of heart and fight. Well, I got my wish almost. Of course, Id have rather the pendulum swung in a slightly different direction, resulting in a Los Angeles Clippers win. However, this team put up one hell of a fight and, statistically speaking, you couldnt have asked for much more from the guys. Any of the issues that you could put your finger on from other losses this season off-shooting nights, high turnover displays, poor rebounding and so on werent present in Denver. The Clippers really gave it their all, but came up against a side that just edged them in the crucial moments, thanks in no small part to another freakish display from center Nikola Jokic Milos Teodosic Jersey. For the most part, the team can be proud of the way they defended the Serb, but ultimately it was just one of those nights for the leagues reigning Most Valuable Player. His performance stood out so much that, to a wider audience at least, it overshadowed another great center display inside the Ball Arena. If you look to the box score for takeaways from the game, a plus/minus of minus-17 in a two-point loss could be seen as a major weakness. Not in the case of Ivica Zubac. The Croatian had a career night, with a 32-point double-double on 15-of-19 from the field, and he came up clutch for the Clippers in a couple of huge moments. It marked another watershed moment in his development, since he was traded across the arena formerly known as STAPLES Center back in 2019. Although this franchise has been on something of a roller coaster ride since the current longest-serving member of the roster came onboard, Zubacs rise has been on a steady yet positive trajectory, with every passing year cementing his acquisition as a plus for the franchise Eric Gordon Jersey. His numbers havent exactly taken a leap over that time, but his influence has been so noticeable and he continues to develop intangible aspects to his game and off the court that make him such a valuable asset to the Clippers. His close bond with Patrick Beverley has no doubt played some part in that, with the 24-year-old establishing himself as one of the cultural architects of this squad.