The Golden State Warriors’ defense collapsed on Clippers center Ivica Zubac late in a tight game Sunday night at Chase Center in San Francisco, but he didn’t panic. Zubac calmly passed from a double team in the post to Norman Powell, who drilled a 20-foot jumper for a five-point Clippers lead with 3 minutes 1 one second left in the game.
A few moments later in that fourth quarter, Zubac set a screen for James Harden. After he received Harden’s pass by sliding away from a defender, Zubac faked a one-way pass and wandered in for a dunk and a five-point lead again with 2:21 left.
Zubac capped his stellar night by throwing down a dunk off a Kris Dunn pass that sealed the deal for the Clippers with 42.2 seconds left, giving his team a seven-point lead.
Right in front of everyone’s eyes, the Clippers see a calmer Zubac, a more developed and complete player they can rely on more than ever.
“The game is slowing down for me,” Zubac said Sunday night after posting 23 points, 18 rebounds and six assists. “I’m a lot more confident.”
This is Zubac’s ninth year in the NBA and the 7-footer’s growth has been steady.
Read more: Ivica Zubac’s double-double helps lift Clippers to victory over Warriors
It’s only been three games, but Zubac is averaging career highs in points (22.7), rebounds (14), assists (4.3) and minutes (36.7) per game.
The Clippers will need every bit of what Zubac can offer them to have a successful season.
“That’s part of it, the game slows down,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said of Zubac. “I think I play through him a little bit more and I think he and James have a good relationship. I think James makes a lot of big really good ones throughout his career. So, just those two guys are on the same page as well.”
Lue said they gained confidence in using Zubac more in the offense by playing “through him more, giving him more touches.” He responded by playing his best basketball early in the season. His 14 rebounds per game lead the NBA.
“Yeah, he was really good,” Lue said after practice on Monday. “I think just coming in, letting him know we’re going to try to post him up more, try to get the ball in his hands more and he’s taking advantage of it. I played him a lot of minutes early, but we needed it just for his rebounding and his presence on the floor offensively. So, I have to find days like this to give him some rest. But we need him on the floor.”
Injury updates
Lue said Kawhi Leonard, who was out to start the season with inflammation in his right knee, and Mo Bamba, who was also out with knee soreness, are both strengthening their knees.
There is no timetable for any of their returns for the Clippers, who have home games Wednesday against Portland, Thursday against Phoenix and Saturday against Oklahoma City.
“They’re out the next two games. That much I know,” Lue said. “I’m just focused on getting our guys ready to play and continue to execute and get better defensively and offensively. Those guys are coming in, working every day to get better, but they’re coming out the next two games. We have to focus on ourselves.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
