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Clippers vs Rockets Preview: Zu Out, Yanic In
The Clippers will start an extended stretch without starting center Ivica Zubac against one of the worst teams possible for such an absence, the physical and bruising Houston Rockets.
Game
Information
Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California
When: 7:30 PM PT
How to Watch: NBC, Peacock, AM 570
Projected
Starting Lineups
Rockets: Amen Thompson – Josh Okogie – Kevin Durant – Jabari Smith Jr. – Alperen Sengun
Clippers: James Harden – Kris Dunn – Kawhi Leonard – John Collins – Brook Lopez
Injuries
Rockets: Fred VanVleet Out (Knee), Dorian Finney-Smith Out (Ankle)
Clippers: Ivica Zubac Out (Ankle), Bradley Beal Out (Hip), Derrick Jones Jr. Out (Knee), Chris Paul Out (Not with team)
The Big
Picture
The Clippers got one of their best wins of the season Saturday over the rival Lakers, but suffered a devastating injury loss, with Ivica Zubac ruled out the next three weeks at least with an ankle sprain. Zu has maybe had a slightly disappointing year, but he’s still the third-best player on the team by a mile, and his erstwhile backup Brook Lopez is maybe the most disappointing player on the whole roster. Brook will play a lot, but it seems as though rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser will also get an extended look at rotation minutes. Beyond that, there’s small ball, which has mostly not borne much fruit for the Clippers this year. Derrick Jones Jr. will return soon-ish, but with both him and Zu out the Clippers’ defense will likely be disastrous.
The
Antagonist
The Rockets, meanwhile, have had two awful losses in their past three games, dropping games to the Pelicans and Jazz sandwiched around a great win over the Nuggets. Their underlying statistics remain formidable, with excellent numbers on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The eye test is not always as kind, as the Rockets sometimes seem quite over-dependent on offensive rebounds and lack structure in the halfcourt on that end. Still, despite the ugly losses, the Rockets remain in the upper tier of the Western Conference and are a bruising opponent on a night-to-night basis.
Notes
Do We See John Collins at Center: When the Clippers have gone small this year, they’ve usually done so with Nic Batum or even Kobe Brown at center. Oddly, the Clippers have rarely played John Collins as a small-ball center. While Collins has not been particularly effective this year, especially on defense, he’s the biggest non-center the Clippers have and he’s also one of their better rebounders (low bar). His athleticism and ability to finish at the rim also make him a seemingly dynamic offensive threat in a spaced, small-ball unit. While I’m fine with Brook and Yanic getting extended stints, at some point over the next few weeks the Clippers need to explore the small-ball Collins units and see what they can do in real games.
Tough Matchup: The Rockets are a better team than the Clippers and are a difficult matchup due to their size, athleticism, and youth. Their overwhelming presence on the glass is going to be even more potent with Zu not playing. Even under normal circumstances the Clippers would be hard-pressed to win this game. With Zu out, even a competitive loss would be a moral victory.