The Los Angeles Clippers have had a rough season so far. Having a record of 8-21, things seemingly went from bad to worse with the unfortunate injury of Ivica Zubac. Zubac sustained a Grade 2 left ankle sprain during the Clippers’ 103-88 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. What’s even worse is that he’s expected to be out for at least three weeks.
Starting Brook Lopez
With a depleted frontcourt, head coach Tyronn Lue decided to grant the starting center position to veteran player Brook Lopez against the Houston Rockets last night. Despite going up against star player Alperen Sengun, Lopez was able to help his team in other areas and provided a similar stoic presence that Zubac had before he got hurt. Not only that, he’s able to spread the floor due to his ability to shoot the ball, especially from deep.
Although he went 1-5 from the field, he had the second most rebounds for the Clippers, trailing behind Kawhi Leonard, who had one of his best performances of the season with 41 points and 8 rebounds. Lopez also reached 4 assists and 2 blocks, showcasing his playmaking and shot-blocking abilities. There were high expectations for the vet after acquiring him during the off-season, coming off a 7-year stint with the Milwaukee Bucks as a starter.
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With that being said, it’s not been very reassuring to see Lopez not only move to the bench but also miss time on the court due to the coach’s decision. Now with Zubac out, this is Brook Lopez’s only chance to prove himself to the franchise and make that much-needed push to the playoffs while they still have a chance.