Lue shares his plan for bringing Ivica Zubac back from injury while keeping the team's winning momentum going.
The Los Angeles Clippers have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the past two weeks, and now they are about to get even stronger with the return of their starting center.
Ahead of Saturday's matchup against the Boston Celtics, head coach Ty Lue spoke about how he plans to bring back Ivica Zubac after the big man missed five games with a Grade 2 left ankle sprain.
"Ivica Zubac is our starter, but we got a good flow going," Lue said.
A Quick Recovery for the Clippers Center
Zubac sustained the ankle injury during the Clippers' 103-88 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on December 20 and was expected to be sidelined for at least three weeks.
His return ahead of schedule is a welcome surprise for a team that has turned its season around in a big way.
Before his injury, Zubac was averaging 15.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, serving as a key piece in the team's frontcourt.
The Clippers (12-21) enter Saturday's game riding a six-game winning streak, which is the longest active streak in the NBA.
During this stretch, the team has beaten opponents by an average of 21 points per game, and the offense has looked much more fluid with a faster pace of play.
The hot run has moved them within striking distance of the play-in picture in the Western Conference.
Lopez and Niederhauser Step Up in Zubac's Absence
While Zubac was sidelined, the Clippers leaned on veteran center Brook Lopez to handle the starting duties.
Lopez stepped into the role and averaged 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 27.8 minutes per game over his five starts.
The former NBA champion brought a calming presence in the paint and stretched the floor with his three-point shooting, although his most recent outing against the Jazz saw him struggle from the field.
Rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser also took advantage of the extra playing time and showed flashes of his potential.
The first-round pick out of Penn State scored a career-high 16 points in the blowout win over the Sacramento Kings and followed that up with six points, 10 rebounds, one assist, and two blocks in 27 minutes against the Utah Jazz.
The 22-year-old from Switzerland is averaging 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game on the season, but his recent performances have given the coaching staff confidence in his development.
Finding the Right Balance
Lue's comments suggest that even though Zubac remains the starting center, the team is not going to mess too much with what has been working.
With Lopez and Niederhauser playing well in his absence, the Clippers now have more depth at the center position than they did before the injury.
It would not be surprising to see Zubac operate under a minutes limit as he works his way back into game shape, especially with the team playing so well.
The Clippers have won as many games in the last 12 days as they had in the previous 59 days before the streak, so there is no reason to rush anything.
Saturday's game against the Celtics (21-12) tips off at 10:30 p.m. EST at Intuit Dome.