The opponent s strength is limited! Did the Clippers inside pillar finally get tougher against the Hornets?

In the previous NBA regular season, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Charlotte Hornets at home 131-116. After this game, the Clippers' record, which ended their three-game losing streak, improved to 5-11, and their ranking rose to 11th in the Western Conference; while the Hornets' record, which suffered a five-game losing streak, has dropped to 4-12, continuing to rank 12th in the Eastern Conference.

In this game, the Clippers' starting center Ivica Zubac performed quite well. Zubac played 29 minutes and 51 seconds, made 9 of 12 shots, and scored 18 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 1 block. He also had 1 turnover and 1 foul, with a plus-minus of +18. Zubac didn't take many shots, but his power at the basket was still quite outstanding. He also used his finishing ability at the basket and seized the opportunity to score a lot of points. In addition, Zubac is also rare in using his talents in passing and support. His contribution on the offensive end is quite high. In addition, Zubac's performance on the defensive end is quite satisfactory, and he can also play a certain role in rebound protection and interior defense. Overall, Zubac has played his value on both offense and defense. The team's situation is also quite good when he is on the court, which also made a big contribution to the team's victory.

In the NBA regular season last season, Zubac played a total of 80 times in 82 games, averaging 32.8 minutes per game. He averaged 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.1 blocks, 1.6 turnovers and 2.1 fouls. He shot 62.8% from the field and 68.1% from the free throw line. In the playoffs, Zubac played a total of 7 times, averaging 36.6 minutes per game. He averaged 17.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 1 block per game. He also had 1.6 turnovers and 2.7 fouls. He shot 65.9% from the field and 53.8% from the free throw line. Since the start of this season, Zubac has averaged 31.4 minutes per game in the first 16 games, averaging 16 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. He also has 1.9 turnovers and 2.4 fouls. His field goal percentage is 61.4% and his free throw percentage is 75%.

Zubac's performance this season has always given people a tepid feeling. Although there is no obvious decline in data, he feels that his dominance has dropped a lot. Zubac was the absolute backbone of the team last season, and his effect on the field is obvious to all. This season, he seemed a bit weak on the defensive end at some times, and he was unable to play a decisive role on the offensive end. His effect on the field was relatively average. In this game, Zubac faced the opponent's rookie center Ryan Kalkbrenner. It is normal for Zubac to beat him. He will need to perform similar performance when facing stronger opponents in the next game.