Ivica Zubac of the Los Angeles Clippers center has been diagnosed with a right calf strain and will be sidelined for at least a month. The team announced on Tuesday night.
Ivica Zubac has faced multiple right calf injuries in his career. He sustained a right calf injury just before the Star break last season, and he missed two games in the 2021-22 season due to injury.
Zubac suffered the injury in Friday’s 128-119 win over the Grizzlies, though it wasn’t a serious injury at the time—even though he was not on the team’s injury report ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Timberwolves. But it became an issue leading up to the game and Theis was given the start at center. Then Zubac was officially ruled out in the first quarter.
Coach Tyrone Lue said, “It’s going to be a tough loss, “He tried everything he could to play, and went through layup lines, but just couldn’t get it going. So, it was important for us to make sure that he didn’t play and do something worse to it. The decision was made right before the jump ball.
Zubac 26 years old, is not only achieving career highs in points (12.4) and blocked shots (1.4) but is also making worthy contributions with 9.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists, exceeding his career averages.
If Zubac is sidelined just four weeks, he could return in time for the Clippers’ 14 Feb game against the Golden State Warriors, resulting in him missing 13 games. While the focus is on the Clippers’ big three of Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Paul George, Zubac’s absence over the next month will pose a significant challenge.
