Following the worst performance of his playoff career, which initially did not have a close second, Bogdan Bogdanović somehow found a way to struggle just as much in the next game against the Denver Nuggets. This leads to a concerning narrative of how he is in the postseason.
Moreover, in his Clippers' playoff debut, Bogdanović was utilized by the head coach Tyronn Lue for 12 minutes and essentially had no positive offensive impact. He was out on the hardwood running cardio, missing shots, turning the ball over, and fouling unnecessarily.
It looked like Bogdanović was in his own head regarding the concept of playing with freedom without delay. Even after having James Harden in his ear, lightening the mood, he was still second-guessing his next move. This brought flashbacks of his first five games after the trade deadline.
It’s obvious.
— Jamal Cristopher (@JamCristopher) April 21, 2025
Here’s James harden in game 1 telling bogi to stop thinking so much, have fun, play, be aggressive. He’s gotta loosen up, We need him. https://t.co/bAlATv68n5 pic.twitter.com/vY0Av4s5oq
Furthermore, the Clippers' conquest in game two bubbled down to whether Bogdanović or Norman Powell would shine. Whichever outperformed the other would be incorporated more.
Powell struggled in game two but scored seven in the fourth, which is far more than anything Bogdanović has produced thus far. Hence, Powell played 18 minutes more.
Nonetheless, the Serbian star is proving his head coach would be right for benching him because of trust issues in the playoffs.
Tyronn Lue has more than enough reasons to sit Bogdan Bogdanović without a timetable
Through his first 27 minutes of playoff action for the LA Clippers, Bogdan Bogdanović has shown Tyronn Lue numerous indicators that the only legitimate solution to forgo the suffering is to completely look another direction by not playing him.
Bogdanović has not scored once, and the only time he did put the ball through the hoop, officials whistled him for an offensive foul as he elbowed Nikola Jokic in the paint.
In fact, Bogdanović missed all five of his shots in the Clippers' victory in Denver and added two turnovers and three fouls. His net rating was also -18.9, which is -14.6 worse than the player ahead.
It would be a surprise to see Bogdanović touch the hardwood in game three, but if he does, Lue will be thinking on his feet. If his incapabilities persist, the veteran guard will likely be benched until round two.
That said, there is hope that Bogdanović's problems have come from playing in Denver and that once game three is cued, he will dominate like a magnet attached to the basketball.