The Los Angeles Clippers have a rebounding problem-and it’s not a small one. It’s a structural flaw that’s been exposed night after night, and right now, Ivica Zubac is the only thing standing between the Clippers and total collapse on the glass.
Let’s start with the numbers. Zubac is averaging 11.6 rebounds per game, which amounts to more than 28% of the team’s total boards through 21 games.
That’s not just impressive-it’s overwhelming. One player grabbing nearly a third of a team’s rebounds isn’t just rare, it’s unsustainable.
And when Zubac heads to the bench, the drop-off isn’t gradual-it’s a freefall.
The Clippers’ frontcourt rotation behind Zubac has offered little resistance, literally and figuratively. He’s logging 32.4 minutes per game, anchoring the defense, scoring in the paint, and doing the dirty work inside. That’s a heavy load for any big, especially in today’s NBA where pace and space demand bigs to do more than ever.
And yet, help has been minimal. Players with size aren’t consistently boxing out or crashing the boards to support Zubac.
The effort just hasn’t matched the need. For a team that ranks 26th in the league in rebounds per game, that’s a glaring issue.
The Clippers tried to address this in the offseason by bringing in Brook Lopez, but that solution hasn’t panned out the way they hoped. Lopez has now missed five straight games-not due to injury, but because he’s been out of the rotation entirely.
His 1.9 rebounds per game weren’t moving the needle, and his fit has been problematic. Opposing teams have gone small to exploit his lack of lateral quickness, and head coach Tyronn Lue has responded by going smaller himself.
Lue recently acknowledged that Lopez’s minutes will be matchup-dependent going forward. That’s coach-speak for “we’re not sure where he fits.”
And while conversations between Lue and Lopez have reportedly been positive, the reality is clear: the veteran big man, brought in to add size and experience, has become a part-time option. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a player with Lopez’s pedigree-and a questionable return on investment for the Clippers front office.
In Lopez’s absence, the Clippers have turned to John Collins and Kobe Brown to fill the backup center role. But neither brings the physical presence of a true five. Collins, the taller of the two at 6-foot-9, is undersized for the position, and while both players offer versatility and athleticism, they can’t replicate what a legitimate 7-footer provides defensively and on the glass.
So here we are: Zubac is holding the interior together with tape and determination. He’s timing rebounds, contesting shots, and battling in the paint with minimal support. It’s a workload that’s simply not built for one man, no matter how steady he’s been.
The Clippers’ center rotation isn’t just thin-it’s flawed. And unless something changes, this imbalance could come back to haunt them in the long run.
Because in a league where every possession matters, giving up second-chance points and losing the rebounding battle night after night is a recipe for trouble. Right now, Zubac is doing everything he can.
But he can’t keep doing it alone.