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![Terance Mann #14 of the LA Clippers rebounds past the...]()
Terance Mann #14 of the LA Clippers rebounds past the defense of Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers dribbles into the...]()
Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers dribbles into the defense of Jabari Smith Jr. #1 of the Houston Rockets during the first half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Robert Covington #23 of the LA Clippers reacts to a...]()
Robert Covington #23 of the LA Clippers reacts to a bad pass during the first half of a game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Kenyon Martin Jr. #6 of the Houston Rockets attempts to...]()
Kenyon Martin Jr. #6 of the Houston Rockets attempts to block a shot by Terance Mann #14 of the LA Clippers during the first half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Tari Eason #17 of the Houston Rockets battles Robert Covington...]()
Tari Eason #17 of the Houston Rockets battles Robert Covington #23 of the LA Clippers for a loose ball during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers reacts to a...]()
Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers reacts to a missed shot during the second half of a game aat Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Robert Covington #23 of the LA Clippers reacts after a...]()
Robert Covington #23 of the LA Clippers reacts after a three point shot during the second half of a game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers defends against the...]()
Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers defends against the dribble by Tari Eason #17 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Robert Covington #23 of the LA Clippers looks on as...]()
Robert Covington #23 of the LA Clippers looks on as the team celebrates the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday prior to a game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Moses Brown #9 of the LA Clippers rebounds over Usman...]()
Moses Brown #9 of the LA Clippers rebounds over Usman Garuba #16 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Terance Mann #14 of the LA Clippers dribbles past Daishen...]()
Terance Mann #14 of the LA Clippers dribbles past Daishen Nix #15 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Usman Garuba #16 of the Houston Rockets pushes Ivica Zubac...]()
Usman Garuba #16 of the Houston Rockets pushes Ivica Zubac #40 of the LA Clippers for a rebound during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Paul George #3 of the LA Clippers looks on from...]()
Paul George #3 of the LA Clippers looks on from the bench during the second half of a game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Robert Covington #23 of the LA Clippers addresses the audience,...]()
Robert Covington #23 of the LA Clippers addresses the audience, thanking them for celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. prior to a game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Terance Mann #14 of the LA Clippers lays up past...]()
Terance Mann #14 of the LA Clippers lays up past the defense of Alperen Sengun #28 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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![Houston Rockets guard Josh Christopher (9) scores past Los Angeles...]()
Houston Rockets guard Josh Christopher (9) scores past Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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![Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) scores past Los Angeles...]()
Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) scores past Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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![Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) passes the ball...]()
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) passes the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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![Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann, center left, scores against...]()
Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann, center left, scores against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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![Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives to the...]()
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives to the basket against the Houston Rockets during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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![Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann, left, scores over Houston...]()
Los Angeles Clippers guard Terance Mann, left, scores over Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
LOS ANGELES — For the better part of three weeks, Ivica Zubac’s production has been slipping. The Clippers center, who had been dominating the paint, had only one double-double in the past eight games while averaging 26 minutes.
Coach Tyronn Lue said his heavy minutes this season (29.1 minutes per game) has contributed to his recent downward trajectory. Which poses a dilemma for Lue.
The team is much more effective when he’s on the floor, but the rest is out of the question because he is the Clippers’ lone veteran big man.
“He’s not going to admit that, but you know, I think he’s getting worn down a little bit with the overuse and playing him a lot because like you said, when he is on the floor, we are effective,” Lue said. “We’re able to run our offense and do different things. So, I have to find a balance between that.
“He’s been great for us all year. He’s a guy that plays every single night and we just can’t run him into the ground, which I have, I think early on. But I mean, I really don’t have a choice.”
Zubac, who scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds in Sunday’s 121-100 victory against Houston, admitted sheepishly that he was indeed weary.
“It’s true, but it’s my job, so…,” he said. “I feel tired a little bit but it depends on the day.
“Our schedule has been really tight, and we’ve played a lot of games so far, but you can’t complain. Every team plays a lot of games. There’s a lot of guys who have averaged more minutes than me so there’s no excuses.”
Big day for Mann
Terance Mann strolled into the interview room wearing a large gold medallion around his neck emblazoned with the words “Big Moment Fella”, an in-house tribute to the player who impacted the game the most.
On Sunday, Mann scored a regular-season career-high 31 points, including making 5 of 8 3-pointers, earning him the postgame honor.
More importantly, Mann said he feels he has earned the team’s respect in his fourth NBA season.
“It’s been four years in this system, four years with the same core guys,” Mann said. “So, I think they trust me to step up, be a leader and step up on both ends of the floor.”
Lue said he liked the way his young guard brings energy to the starting lineup, which allows him to get out in transition and attack offensively.
“The way he plays is infectious to us, the way he plays hard and competes every single night,” Lue said. But in transition, pushing that basketball, getting some easy baskets when we need them — he did that for us tonight.”
Rough day for Jackson
Reggie Jackson officially lost his starting job to Mann after a series of poor performances, starting with the game against Atlanta when he was benched after eight minutes. He did not get off the bench the next two games.
Lue said he knew Jackson would be ready “when his name is called, so we don’t have any problem with that.”
Jackson might have been prepared to play, but it didn’t translate into a great day against the Rockets on Sunday. He scored just four points and had five assists and was called for a flagrant-1 foul in an uninspired 15 minutes.
“He was frustrated with himself,” Lue said. “I mean, when you’re used to playing at a high level and you haven’t played in a while, it is expected to be a little rusty.
“We just try and tell him it’s OK, you haven’t played in a while and just continue to stay with it. Not going to judge that. I thought his intent was right. He tried to do the right things and sometimes when you haven’t played in three or four games, it can happen.”
