Many assumed that the Los Angeles Clippers were drawing dead after Ivica Zubac suffered an ankle sprain that will keep him out for at least three weeks. The Clippers were already 7-21, and after losing one of their three best players, the safe assumption was that they were headed to a lost season. On Tuesday, they proved the doubters wrong by delivering one of their best performances of the season. While there is still a very long way to go for the Clippers, a 20-point win over the Houston Rockets should instill plenty of confidence among the fanbase.
Brook Lopez Provides Valuable Spacing to Clippers Offense
One of the biggest reasons for the surprise win was Brook Lopez. The offseason acquisition that has massively disappointed so far made a big impact offensively. Looking at the box score, it may be hard to see Lopez’s impact, who had five points, six rebounds, and four assists on 1/5 shooting from the field. But the spacing he provided in his 27 minutes of action proved crucial for the Clippers.
Even though Lopez went 1/4 from downtown, he gets guarded behind the three-point line. This provides a ton of spacing for James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, who combined for 70 points on 23/39 shooting. Against one of the best defenses in the league in the Rockets, the Clippers looked sharp offensively. They made 20 of their 37 three-pointers, went to the free-throw line 27 times, and had 25 assists to only 10 turnovers. As a result, they had a 149.4 offensive rating per Cleaning the Glass, their second-best mark of the season.
For his part, Lopez was +13 in his minutes. If he can play at this level and give the Clippers decent 25 minutes per game in Zubac’s absence, the Clippers could not only survive, but even thrive, considering their schedule that is about to get easier.
The defensive concerns remain with Lopez and the Clippers. While Lopez adds size, he is not the best defensive rebounder. He is slow-footed and struggles against quicker, athletic players. He is not in a position to challenge shots at the rim with the same frequency as he did earlier in his career. Therefore, the Clippers will likely continue to struggle to get stops defensively and will have to win games with their offense.
Hopefully, Derrick Jones Jr.’s looming return will give the Clippers a boost on the defensive end of the floor to give them much-needed depth and athleticism as they attempt to turn their season around. Back-to-back wins against the Lakers and the Rockets should at least give them more confidence in their ability to do so.
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