Ivica Zubac 2024 NBA Playoffs Scouting Report: Dissecting LA Clippers center's impact and minutes

Ivica Zubac has been the starting center for the LA Clippers for the past two seasons. Zubac is vital to the Clippers despite playing limited minutes due to head coach Ty Lue's small ball offense. The Clippers are expected to lock horns with the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA playoffs.

Zubac arrived at the Clippers from the LA Lakers via trade midway through the 2018-19 season. He was a starter under Doc Rivers although the team didn't have a lot of postseason success.

When Lue became coach, Zubac was a backup center for most of the 2020-21 season. He became the full-time starter again the next year and has had the role locked up for the foreseeable future. He's in the second year of his three-year, $32.8 million extension.

---

---

Ivica Zubac's regular season stats

Ivica Zubac has missed a few games for the LA Clippers this season. Zubac has only played 67 games so far with two games left in the campaign. Here are his season averages:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	FG%	3P%	FT%
Ivica Zubac	11.7	9.3	1.4	0.3	1.2	1.2	64.7%	-	72.3%

---

Ivica Zubac's career playoff stats

Ivica Zubac has been to the playoffs four times in his career, all of which was with the LA Clippers. Here are Zubac's playoff averages in 39 games played:

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	FG%	3P%	FT%
Ivica Zubac	7.5	6.7	0.5	0.2	0.6	2.6	56.8%	-	79.0%

---

---

Strengths and Weaknesses

One of Ivica Zubac's biggest strengths is his size and power, which makes him a good screener for the LA Clippers' top players. He's a good pick-and-roll option and an above-average rebounder. He's an underrated defender, who will be more useful in matchups against players like Nikola Jokic, Jusuf Nurkic and Rudy Gobert.

The Dallas Mavericks could expose his weakness, which is his speed and ability to defend the perimeter. Zubac is also a non-shooter and might not be a big factor in the first round against the Mavericks unless Daniel Gafford gets minutes.

---

---

Impact, role and projected playoff minutes

Based on Ty Lue's use of Ivica Zubac in the past two postseasons, he'll likely be a starter. Things could change based on Jason Kidd's starting five. If the Dallas Mavericks start P.J. Washington at center, Zubac would come off the bench.

His minutes are going to be limited at least in the first round at under 30 minutes per game. If the Clippers reach the second round and possibly match up against the Denver Nuggets or Minnesota Timberwolves, Zubac will get more playing time guarding Nikola Jokic and Rudy Gobert.

---