The LA Clippers brought Ivica Zubac back from his ankle injury against the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, and within minutes, it was painfully obvious that the six-game winning streak was built on his absence, not despite it.
The offense immediately looked stagnant and the superstar duo couldn't get to their spots, while Brook Lopez, who had been drilling threes, barely played.
LA rushed Zubac back against one of the best teams in the league instead of letting him ease back into action against a weaker opponent. The result? The Clippers got exposed, the winning streak ended embarrassingly, and all the spacing issues that plagued the first 27 games came roaring back.
Zubac's return proved what everyone suspected during the hot streak: the Clippers might truly be better without him.
The problems regarding spacing returned immediately
During the six-game winning streak, the LA Clippers averaged 118.5 points per game while shooting over 40 percent from three. Brook Lopez was spacing to the arc, pulling defenders out of the paint, and creating driving lanes for Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. The offense flowed beautifully because there was actual room to operate.
Saturday night against the Boston Celtics, Ivica Zubac checked in and immediately clogged everything. Because he can't shoot beyond five feet, the ball movement that had been so crisp during the streak disappeared. Boston's defense just ignored Zubac completely and focused on stopping everyone else.
It was like watching the first 27 games of the season all over again: ISO-heavy possessions, contested jumpers, and zero flow.
The Celtics exploited LA ruthlessly, with the focus of their scheme in drop coverage on pick-and-rolls. They ultimately helped off Zubac to double Leonard and Harden.
The Clippers' defense was full of flaws
Ivica Zubac's offensive limitations are well-documented, but his defensive performance Saturday night was arguably worse. He was slow, late on rotations, and completely exposed by the Boston Celtics' ball movement. The Celtics ran perfect offense all night, getting whatever they wanted against the LA Clippers' defense that looked confused and disorganized.
Brook Lopez and John Collins also struggled defensively, but at least they provided spacing on offense. Zubac gave the Clippers nothing on either end: no spacing, no rim protection, no energy. He was a complete negative, and the Celtics took full advantage.
Additionally, Zubac is not a huge lob threat. His offense is limited to backing guys down or getting put-backs close to the basket. The lobs worked last season when he was rolling to the rim and finishing efficiently. This season, that element has disappeared, leaving only the negatives.
Tyronn Lue continuously made baffling lineup decisions
The most frustrating part of Saturday's loss was Tyronn Lue's refusal to adjust when it was obvious Ivica Zubac wasn't playing well. Lopez was solid for the entire winning streak and Yanic Konan Niederhauser had shown he could provide energy, yet Lue didn't even try to use them.
Lue's lineup experimentation was equally baffling. He decided to experiment with random lineups when physicality, energy, and rebounding were needed. Instead of sticking with what worked during the streak, Lue went back to playing Zubac heavy minutes and hoping the same roster that was constantly losing would suddenly work against elite competition.
The Harsh Reality
As the LA Clippers' starting center for several years on a team-friendly contract, Ivica Zubac provides value in certain matchups. But the six-game winning streak proved he's not the right fit for this roster.
The NBA is about maximizing the superstars you have, and when Zubac is on the floor, someone is getting double-teamed, and an underwhelming possession transpires. It could be possible that his talent doesn't really mesh with what this team is trying to do or the identity they're trying to build.
The Clippers won six straight, then lost by 31 with Zubac back in the lineup. The offense looked completely different, and not in a good way. At some point, you have to acknowledge reality: this team is better with Brook Lopez.
The winning streak was fun while it lasted, and although the Clippers defeated the Golden State Warriors, Zubac played atrociously with four personal fouls and just one make on three shot attempts.
As the blueprint for success was obvious during the six-game streak, Tyronn Lue's negligence amid Saturday's embarrassment was the result.