Nikola Jokic vs Ivica Zubac: Head-to-head matchup explored ahead of critical Game 3 | 2025 NBA Playoffs

To kick off the postseason, Nikola Jokic finds himself in a tough frontcourt battle with Ivica Zubac. This series has been one of the best matchups of the first round, as each of the first two games were highly competitive.

Jokic and the Denver Nuggets managed to strike first with an overtime win in Game 1. When these teams squared off for Game 2, things also ended up going down to the wire. However, behind a stellar showing from Kawhi Leonard, the LA Clippers managed to even the series.

Seeing that Jokic is one of the NBA's top talents, the frontcourt battle is a major talking point in this series. Ahead of a pivotal Game 3, here is a deeper dive into the battle of the big men.

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Nikola Jokic vs Ivica Zubac head-to-head playoff numbers

As the anchor of the Clippers' defense, Zubac has been the primary player tasked with guarding Jokic. The superstar big man is always going to get his numbers, but he is doing everything he can to make life difficult.

When guarded by Zubac in Game 1, Jokic notched 15 points and eight assists on 7-for-14 shooting from the field. He followed that up with 14 points and seven assists in Game 2, but almost half his scoring in this matchup was from the free-throw line.

During the regular season, Zubac was a focal point of the Clippers' offense. Now in the postseason, LA is relying more on the play of their star talents.

Though Zubac is a physical matchup who can be draining to defend, Jokic has taken on the assignment for the Nuggets. In the early stages of the series, he's had success limiting his impact.

In Game 1, Zubac didn't get anything going against Jokic. He did not score when guarded by the former MVP, shooting 0-for-2 from the field. Zubac bounced back in Game 2, notching eight points on 4-for-7 shooting.

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Nikola Jokic vs Ivica Zubac regular season stats

This season, Nikola Jokic put together arguably his best regular season campaign of his career. That said, the Clippers were a team he's been up and down against.

Across three matchups, Jokic's play against LA was a bit of mixed bag. His averages were 28.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists. These numbers look strong, but a deeper dive tells a different story.

Back in December, Zubac and the Clippers held Jokic to his third-lowest scoring out of the season (16 points). Aside from this, he's looked like a multi-time MVP against them. Along with a 41-point barrage, Jokic also notched a triple-double (28 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists) against LA.

As for Zubac, his play against the Nuggets was on par with his season averages. In four appearances, he averaged 13.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. As far as individual showings, Zubac notched 24 points and 15 rebounds in a win for the Clippers.

Looking ahead to the rest of the series, Zubac has arguably the biggest role on the Clippers. If they want any chance at advancing, they'll need him to contain Nikola Jokic as best he can.