In the Los Angeles derby, Ivica Zubac recorded more offensive rebounds than the entire Los Angeles Lakers roster
Last night, one of the hottest teams in the league, the Los Angeles Clippers, defeated their city rivals 112-104. It was the Clippers’ eighth win in their last 10 games, confirming their strong upward form.
On the other hand, the Los Angeles Lakers are going through a rough patch, posting a 4-6 record over their last 10 games. On top of that, tensions and criticism are growing from all sides. Head coach JJ Redick has been particularly sharp in press conferences, delivering several statements openly criticizing his players’ mentality.
Claim Now One statistic from last night perfectly illustrates the contrasting situations and form of the two teams. Clippers center Ivica Zubac dominated the paint, finishing with 18 points, 19 rebounds, and 7-of-13 shooting from the field. Remarkably, he also grabbed more offensive rebounds on his own (10) than the entire Lakers roster that suited up for the game (6).
As many coaches like to say, rebounding is a product of will, effort, and commitment—much like defense. This stat paints that picture perfectly and raises questions about how the Lakers’ center duo of DeAndre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes performed their duties last night.
Truth be told, when talking about Ivica Zubac, we are talking about one of the league’s most reliable centers and elite rebounders. In fact, based on averages, only Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Jokic rank ahead of him.
It is no surprise that many teams would love to have Zubac and that his name often appears in trade rumors. However, with the Clippers’ current rise and their renewed push for the playoffs—currently sitting 10th in the Western Conference—any potential offer would have to be a very steep one.
Offensive rebounds tonight:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 23, 2026
10 — Ivica Zubac
6 — Los Angeles Lakers pic.twitter.com/w2Og2omCiC
