The Intuit Dome’s first LA city rivalry was memorable and a treat for Clipper Nation. Their team demolished the Los Angeles Lakers winning the battle 102-116. All of the stars showed out. Kawhi Leonard couldn’t miss, Powell scored his 20 and James Harden made all the plays. But ultimately it was one of their own that did the most damage. Ivica Zubac yet again had a monstrous game against the Lakers.

The former Lakers big exploded for 21 points and 19 rebounds. It was his second straight game with such statistics against his former team. His offensive rebounding and play under the basket had the Purple and Gold in a rut. And once again it was a reminder of the horror decision the front office made to trade the Clippers center in the first place.

Notably, James Worthy, a Lakers legend spoke about the Croatian center with great reverence. But while he did see some promise in the 27-year-old as a raw center with the Lakers, even Worthy didn’t see him becoming such a force.

“I liked him when he was a Laker. He was young, had a lot of potential, worked hard. Those little jump hooks he is doing now he never stopped working. I know he is going to be a contributor for some whether he came off the bench or not… Under the Clippers’ tutelage, he’s turned into a pretty damn solid center. He has a great effort every time. If you don’t match his effort, he’s going to hurt you,” said the 1998 Finals MVP. 

In his two-and-a-half seasons with the Lakers, Zubac always displayed his potential. But opportunities were bleak as he never averaged over 20 minutes per game. Then Pelinka and Magic Johnson decided to exchange him for Mike Muscala. It gave Zubac a place as the starter which he was “thankful” for. The extended game time enabled Ivica Zubac to continue honing his game and slowly becoming the model traditional center.

However, it wasn’t before this year when his number was called that the 27-year-old put the NBA world on notice.

Ivica Zubac has taken a massive leap for the Clippers

After losing Paul George during free agency and Kawhi Leonard on the sidelines, Steve Ballmer made a brave decision. They chose not to make any major signings. Instead, they relied on James Harden to be the focal playmaker and stitch together a healthy record. It’s safe to say the team has overachieved currently sitting 5th in the West. And without Ivica Zubac it may not have been possible.

Having played every game this season, Zubac has already compiled 26 double-doubles, one less than his career high for a single season. Furthermore, his dynamic with the Beard is lethal. Without the Klaw on the floor, their interior play saw the 27-year-old feast regularly. Now, he is averaging a career-high in both points and rebounds.

Some of his performances have been nothing short of astounding. He has hit 20 points thirteen times this season, the most for him in a single season. In addition, he has come one rebound short of a 20-20 game on three occasions. With the brute as their center, the Clippers allow only 46.2 points per game in the paint, the sixth-lowest mark in the NBA. On the other sid, the Lakers average 52 points allowed in the points, the third highest in the league.

There’s no question that the Lakers could have used an imposing presence like Ivica Zubac manning their paint and collecting rebounds for fun. However, a few bad decisions within a span of a few years emptied their young core. While it did lead to a championship in 2020, the Purple and Gold have never looked convincing since.

A presence like Ivica Zubac could have most likely changed that.