Ivica Zubac, Clippers go on the aggressive

LOS ANGELES — Four amusive ones successful a row, a that’s-more-like-it winning streak, and the Clippers are starting to look similar who they thought they’d beryllium the play aft reaching the Western Conference finals for the archetypal time.

And to what bash they beryllium these 4 victories, immoderate of which, connected their own, could beryllium categorized arsenic a revealing, mettle-testing catalyst successful a agelong season?

Paul George was a large component. The Clippers’ prima averaged 26.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.8 steals implicit the past 4 games, a show that earned him designation Monday arsenic the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week.

There was besides the evident score-more-points-than-the-other-guys angle: In their past 4 games, the Clippers are shooting 46.2% from the tract and 39.0% from 3-point range, a marked 4.2% and 7.3% uptick from during their 1-4 start.

Defense besides has been a large component, the Clippers volition archer you, with a motion to their 98.0 antiaircraft standing during their archetypal winning streak — which they’ll effort to widen Tuesday astatine Staples Center against Portland. (Yes, the Trail Blazers, against whom the Clippers already are 1-1.)

Only Golden State’s 90.1 antiaircraft standing successful their past 4 contests is amended than the Clippers’ — overmuch similar lone Oklahoma City’s 50.8 rebounds per crippled mean successful their past 4 games is better, league-wide, than the Clippers’ 49.5 mean successful that span (8.5 much than successful the aboriginal going).

So there’s the accrued physicality, the sharpened absorption successful cardinal moments, the recognizable resiliency.

But there’s thing — someone, really — else.

Ivica Zubac.

“The crushed we’re connected this four-game triumph streak,” Lue said, his eyes lighting up, “because Zu’s been a batch amended for us.”

The 24-year-old Croatian started his sixth NBA play sluggishly, tentatively, getting easy dislodged from his spots and dilatory to rebound, averaging less than six boards per game. The 7-foot halfway was having a heck of a clip stringing unneurotic productive stretches.

And past George had a speech with him.

“‘From present on, there’s nary going back,’” George said Friday, relaying his connection to Zubac successful Minnesota, wherever the large antheral finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds. “‘You get a rebound and you rip that away, I don’t attraction if you wounded idiosyncratic successful the process, you rip that shot and you ain that ball.’”

Zubac has been connected a teardrop successful the 2 games since, his occurrence successful Minnesota translating Sunday astatine Staples Center, erstwhile helium had 14 points, 11 rebounds and went 8 for 8 from the free-throw line. He besides played 10 pivotal moments successful the fourth-quarter agelong erstwhile the Clippers flipped a nine-point shortage into a 14-point triumph truthful rapidly that, with the crippled retired of hand, fans started heading for the exits earlier it was over.

The seat liked that @ivicazubac poster. pic.twitter.com/UKxS1NkbVA

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 8, 2021

Zubac said Monday he’d had wake-up calls from coaches, teammates and, ultimately, himself.

“I person to punctual myself what I’m susceptible of, what’s my occupation what I got to bash each azygous night,” Zubac said. “… Coach, teammates, watching movie from the past twelvemonth trying to spot what I did that I’m not doing oregon different mode around. So it’s just, you know, conscionable trying to enactment successful it mentally and instrumentality with it.

“Paul’s been pushing me,” Zubac added. “He’s pushing everyone but helium was extra, other connected maine this twelvemonth due to the fact that I didn’t commencement the mode I wanted. He knew what I could bash that I was not doing, truthful helium conscionable wanted maine to beryllium much aggressive, spell for each rebound, not hold for it to autumn into my arms, my hands, and conscionable decorativeness stronger.

“And a feline similar PG, erstwhile you spot him retired determination each nighttime warring doing everything helium tin to triumph games, you got to assistance him. So conscionable took it idiosyncratic and got retired determination and did the soiled work.”

George said helium was pleased helium could assistance facilitate an aha moment, 1 helium hopes foretells of aboriginal success.

“I deliberation it clicked for him,” George said of Zubac. “When you person a large crippled arsenic helium did successful Minnesota, I deliberation you conscionable recognize the modular that you acceptable for yourself. I deliberation Zu realized what that feels similar to predominate the boards and to wherever present helium conscionable expects that of himself.

“But, yeah, we inactive request much games similar that from Zu — ain the boards, ain the glass, conscionable beryllium a large presence.”

PORTLAND (5-5) astatine CLIPPERS (5-4)

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Staples Center

TV: Bally Sports SoCal, TNT

LA Clippers guardant Paul George and Cleveland Cavaliers halfway Jarrett Allen person been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 3 of the 2021-22 play (Nov. 1 – Nov. 7). pic.twitter.com/LcUo6aPehy

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) November 8, 2021