With Ayton sidelined, Zubac and Harden's dominance could fuel a crucial Clippers win.
The Los Angeles Clippers (5-12) head into Tuesday night's NBA Cup matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers (12-4) at Crypto.com Arena with a golden opportunity in front of them, and it comes courtesy of a knee injury to Lakers center DeAndre Ayton.
The Lakers have officially ruled out Ayton for the contest after he left Sunday's win over the Utah Jazz with a right knee contusion, and that absence could open the door for the struggling Clippers to steal a crucial game in group play.
Zubac Poised for a Monster Night
If there's one player who should be licking his chops right now, it's Clippers center Ivica Zubac. The 28-year-old big man has been on an absolute tear lately, and he's coming off one of the best performances of his career in Sunday's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Zubac finished that game with 33 points on 15-of-22 shooting while grabbing 18 rebounds and dishing out four assists in 33 minutes of action, and the only reason it wasn't a career-high in scoring is because he dropped 35 points once before.
Over his last 10 games, Zubac has been playing at an All-Star level and has posted eight double-doubles during that stretch while averaging 19.7 points and 12.9 rebounds on 63.8 percent shooting from the floor.
Without Ayton protecting the rim, Zubac should be able to feast in the paint against a Lakers frontcourt that will likely feature Jaxson Hayes or Maxi Kleber as the starting center.
How the Clippers Can Beat the Lakers
The path to victory for the Clippers is pretty clear, and it starts with feeding Zubac early and often while James Harden continues his remarkable scoring run.
Harden set a new Clippers franchise record with 55 points against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday, and he's been averaging 33.6 points over his last eight games while showing flashes of his MVP form from his Houston days.
The Lakers have been struggling from the three-point line lately, and head coach JJ Redick even admitted after Sunday's game that shooting woes have plagued the team.
Without Ayton's interior presence to anchor the defense, the Clippers should look to attack the paint relentlessly through Zubac and Harden's pick-and-roll game while also getting Kawhi Leonard involved in the mid-range areas where he's most comfortable.
Kawhi Shows Signs of Life in His Return
Speaking of Leonard, the two-time Finals MVP returned to action on Sunday after missing 10 straight games with a sprained right ankle and foot, and while he looked a bit rusty at times, there were plenty of encouraging signs for Clippers fans.
Leonard finished with 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting while adding three rebounds, two assists and three steals in 26 minutes against the Cavaliers, and his mere presence on the floor should open things up for his teammates.
Before the injury struck, Leonard was playing at an elite level and averaged 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals through his first six games of the season while shooting 50.5 percent from the field.
If he can shake off the rust and build on Sunday's performance, the Clippers become a much more dangerous team that can compete with anyone in the Western Conference.
The Lakers Will Still Be Tough
Even without Ayton, the Lakers are a formidable opponent and enter Tuesday's game riding a four-game winning streak.
Luka Doncic leads the league in scoring at 34.5 points per game while adding 8.9 assists and 8.8 rebounds, and he became the first player in NBA history to record at least 400 points and 100 assists through the first 12 games of a season.
LeBron James also returned to action last week after missing the first 14 games of the season with sciatica, and he averaged 14 points and 10 assists in the two wins over Utah while working his way back into game shape.
The Clippers will need a complete team effort to slow down the Lakers' dynamic duo, but Ayton's absence gives them a chance at pulling off an upset in this critical NBA Cup matchup.