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Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, driving the lane while defended by Clippers center Ivica Zubac, averaged nearly a triple-double with 30 points per game, 16 rebounds and 9.7 assists in three games against L.A. last season. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
One of the more intriguing matchups to watch when the Clippers meet the Nuggets on Saturday afternoon in Denver is between centers Ivica Zubac and Nikola Jokic.
Jokic is a three-time most valuable player and like he has against the entire league, he has given the Clippers fits. In three games last season he averaged nearly a triple-double with 30 points, 16 rebounds and 9.7 assists.
The Clippers, who lost their season opener Wednesday night to the Phoenix Suns, will have their hands full. But they have a plan to some degree, like last season when they split the season series with the Nuggets 2-2.
“One, just making sure he’s making his passes,” coach Tyronn Lue said after practice Friday. “Make sure we’re flooding the paint, not letting him get cuts to the basket and getting layups and dunks. Make them skip the basketball outside. So, we can do a better job of just taking away his assists in the paint.”
The 7-foot-1 Zubac will get first crack at the 6-11 Jokic. Zubac has talked in the past about how much he admires and respects Jokic. Lue said Zubac won’t have to defend his counterpart one on one all game.
Read more: Clippers open their new home with a tough loss to the Phoenix Suns
“I like Zu’s physicality and his size,” Lue said. “Just play against him. Just compete. When you are going against the MVP, it’s not going to be one on one. It’s going to be collectively. But we need Zu to be physical, we need him to be big and battle him. We know it’s going to be tough because a lot of things are ran through him — for passing, post-ups, pick-and-pops. So, Zu just got to stay with it because he’s going to score some points, he’s going to get some assists, but we got to make him work.”
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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/clippers-focusing-slow-down-nuggets-234309177.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-10-25 23:43:00
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