To say that present circumstances for the Los Angeles Clippers are dire would be a massive understatement. They are currently 5-12 heading into their much-anticipated Tuesday night NBA Cup contest against their in-city rival Los Angeles Lakers, and they've been ravaged by injuries. The good news is that Kawhi Leonard is going to be active for that game, giving James Harden and Ivica Zubac some much-needed help.
As for the Lakers, it seems like their entire rotation will be available sans starting center Deandre Ayton. Ayton will be missing that contest due to a knee injury he sustained back on Sunday against the Utah Jazz, which could free up room for Zubac to dominate the paint considering the Lakers' rebounding woes last season when they played with Jaxson Hayes as their primary big man.
However, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue didn't exactly place too much importance on Ayton's absence. After all, the Lakers' star trio of Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves will be available — making Tuesday night's contest all the more difficult.
“Are Luka and LeBron playing?” Lue said in response to being asked how Ayton's absence changes the Clippers' game plan, as per Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation.
They indeed are playing, and it will be a tough task for a Clippers team missing one of its best defenders in Derrick Jones Jr. to slow down the Lakers' trio of excellent ballhandlers. And with the game being at Crypto.com Arena, the Clippers have to bring their A-game if they were to go on a run to save their season and prevent a high lottery pick from going to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Clippers have to pound the paint against the Lakers
Controlling the glass might be the Clippers' win condition on Tuesday night. The Lakers will be starting Hayes at center, but Zubac has the advantage in that matchup, especially strength-wise. But beyond Zubac, Leonard has to go all-out in crashing the boards, and so does John Collins.
The Lakers struggled mightily last year when they relied on Hayes to be their starting center, and the Clippers at least have the blueprint for how to defeat this talented Purple and Gold squad.
