With the court vision of franchise superstar James Harden, interior beast Ivica Zubac had a major leap stamped on this season. All that was left to do in the offseason was to master his touch, and Zubac went above and beyond by crafting an automated hook shot.
Furthermore, Harden deserves his flowers for helping Zubac take the next step to becoming a star in his ninth season. They have clearly gone to work in the gym for an absurd amount of unseen hours and have spent time off the court as friends to strengthen their ties.
Zubac has averaged 16.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists this season, shooting 62.6% from the floor in 78 games. Though these numbers are outstanding, the high scoring is, to some extent, due to Harden.
However, a common misconception around Zubac this season has been that he needs Harden to dominate. This is a fair conclusion, as the former MVP is accustomed to making his big men better, but the Croatian star is also a beast when alone on the court.
Head coach Tyronn Lue looks to his starting center as a serious option due to his consistent paint scoring. This was not achievable with Paul George last season, but because he left and Lawrence Frank chose not to add another All-Star, Zubac's jump was inevitable.
Now, Zubac is simply elite when in isolation down low, and the advanced metrics prove a belief surrounding his game to be false.
Data displays Ivica Zubac is still great without James Harden on the court
It is understandable to give partial credit to James Harden, but after witnessing Ivica Zubac repeatedly win at the rim, the LA Clippers know their center can create his buckets one-on-one and excel in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention, he holds together a top-three defense in the NBA.
Moreover, cued by the advanced numbers, with Zubac on the court and Harden off, the LA Clippers have an offensive rating of 114.8, a defensive rating of 109.8, and a net of 5.0. This offensive rating is lowered by 3.2 compared to when they both play, but that is to be expected with a three-time scoring champion.
Additionally, Zubac's per 75 possessions with Harden on the bench is 20.0 points and 13.4 boards, with a true shooting percentage of 60.9.
That said, Zubac could most definitely use a guy like Harden to cater to his needs in the paint, but he does not need the 11-time All-Star to prosper.