{"id":275400,"date":"2025-05-02T07:48:50","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T07:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/02\/kendrick-perkins-lauds-ivica-zubacs-lockdown-defense-on-nikola-jokic-as-clippers-force-game-7\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:08:39","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:08:39","slug":"kendrick-perkins-lauds-ivica-zubacs-lockdown-defense-on-nikola-jokic-as-clippers-force-game-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/02\/kendrick-perkins-lauds-ivica-zubacs-lockdown-defense-on-nikola-jokic-as-clippers-force-game-7\/","title":{"rendered":"Kendrick Perkins lauds Ivica Zubac&#8217;s lockdown defense on Nikola Jokic as Clippers force Game 7\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content\" data-postid=\"4900712\" data-slug-id=\"2501020\">\n<div class=\"vidazoo-player-container\">\n<span class=\"vidazoo-close-btn  hidden \"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/cmc-predictor\/v2\/cross-icon.png?w=40\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"close\"\/><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/basketball\/ivica-zubac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">Ivica Zubac<\/a> didn\u2019t particularly light the box score up on Thursday. However, his defensive effort, particularly on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/basketball\/nikola-jokic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">Nikola Jokic<\/a>, proved to be invaluable. Directly impacting the LA Clippers\u2019 111-105 Game 6 win over the Denver Nuggets, Zubac was lauded by many analysts and fans, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/basketball\/kendrick-perkins\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">Kendrick Perkins<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>After the LA Clippers forced a Game 7, Perkins praised Ivica Zubac\u2019s heroic defensive performance in a post on X\/Twitter: <\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cVery Impressive Defensive performance tonight by Zubac!!! His individual Defense against Jokic is some of the best defense I\u2019ve seen,\u201d<\/em> Perkins showered LA\u2019s center with lofty compliments.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><template id=\"bets-today-poll\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"preview-card-holder bets-today-poll\">\n<p><span class=\"date\"\/> \u2022 <span class=\"time\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"march-madness-logo\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/skm\/assets\/march-madness-logo.png\" height=\"42\" width=\"99\" alt=\"march madness logo\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<p><template id=\"also-read-articles-template\"><\/p>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<p>As the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/basketball\/los-angeles-clippers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">LA Clippers<\/a>&#8216; primary defender on Jokic, Zubac played a crucial role in limiting the three-time MVP\u2019s impact. In the second half, Jokic was restricted to just five points and two rebounds while shooting 2-for-9 from the field. <\/p>\n<p>Game 6 marked the first time in the series that Jokic failed to notch at least a double-double, finishing with 25 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Each of these stats is lower than his averages from the previous five games of the series.<\/p>\n<p>Apart from three blocks and a steal, Ivica Zubac finished the night with 10 points and six rebounds on a highly efficient 83.3% shooting. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Ivica Zubac was praised by Nikola Jokic before playoffs<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Ivica Zubac improved by leaps and bounds during the 2024-2025 season, making it the best campaign of his nine-year career. Zubac\u2019s improvements were even acknowledged by Nikola Jokic ahead of the 2025 playoffs. <\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;He was kind of one-dimensional before,&#8221; Jokic said via DNVR Nuggets. &#8220;But now he can post up, he can pass from the pocket. He&#8217;s really evolving his game. He&#8217;s a really good defender&#8230;it&#8217;s going to be a fun matchup<\/em>.&#8221; <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>For the first time in his career, Zubac averaged a double-double with 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds for the entirety of the regular season. The Bosnian national also posted career highs in assists and steals per game.<\/p>\n<p>However, Zubac wasn\u2019t named as the 2025 Most Improved Player. He finished as the runner-up behind Atlanta\u2019s Dyson Daniels (332), receiving 186 total points.<\/p>\n<p>Zubac carried his impressive form to the postseason, as he has been one of the major contributors for LA, averaging 18.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.9 \u2018stocks\u2019 (steals+blocks). <\/p>\n<p>Game 7 between the LA Clippers and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/basketball\/denver-nuggets\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-is-sponsored=\"false\">Denver Nuggets<\/a> will play out at Ball Arena on Saturday. <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-post-rating-widget\">\n<p><template id=\"post-rating-feedback-modal-template\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-feedback-box\">\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-content\">\n<div class=\"post-rating-feedback-data\">\n<p>Why did you not like this content?<\/p>\n<p><textarea id=\"dislike-feedback-text\" rows=\"4\" placeholder=\"Please type your feedback...\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n<button class=\"close\">Cancel<\/button><br \/>\n<button class=\"submit\">Submit<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/template><\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-widget-parent hidden\">\n<div class=\"rating-parent-container\">\n<div class=\"rating-content-holder\">\n<p>Was this article helpful?<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-rating-action-container\">\n<div class=\"like-container\">\n<button class=\"post-rating-like-button post-rating-button\" data-action=\"like\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"post-like-image post-rating-image\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/like-articles\/upvote-icon-grey.svg\" height=\"20\" width=\"20\" alt=\"like selected\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dislike-container\">\n<button class=\"post-rating-dislike-button post-rating-button\" data-action=\"dislike\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"post-dis-like-image post-rating-image\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/like-articles\/upvote-icon-grey.svg\" height=\"20\" width=\"20\" alt=\"avatar selected\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\nThank You for feedback\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-author-info-parent\">\n<span class=\"about-the-author\">About the author<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"author-info-holder\">\n<div class=\"author-pic-holder\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"author-pic\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,&lt;svg width=\" height=\"100\"\/><rect width=\"100\" height=\"100\" style=\"fill:rgb(128, 128, 128);\"\/>&#8221; data-lazy=&#8221;https:\/\/keedag.sportskeeda.com\/user-pic\/4977288-1738121275-200.jpg?w=200&#8243;<br \/>\nalt=&#8221;Advait Jajodia&#8221; height=&#8221;72&#8243; width=&#8221;72&#8243;&gt;\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-bio-detail-holder\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p class=\"author-bio\" id=\"author-bio-text\">\nAdvait Jajodia is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in the field with The SportsRush. <\/p>\n<p>Advait has a love of basketball that stems from playing the game, and has represented Mumbai North at the Inter-District State Championship and Maharashtra at the ASISC National Games.<\/p>\n<p>His favorite team is the New Orleans Pelicans, although Advait also has an affinity for the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His favorite player of all time was Kobe Bryant, as the Lakers legend&#8217;s undeniable talent and mentality were just unignorable. As for players in the current game, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Kyrie Irving are top of Advait&#8217;s list.<\/p>\n<p>When not watching or writing about sports, Advait is a fan of true crime shows, board games and console gaming.\n<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"author-know-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/author\/advait-jajodia\" aria-label=\"Author know more\">Know More<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tag-cloud\">\n<div class=\"tags-text\">\n<div class=\"scrollable-content-holder  article-padding\">\n<p class=\"article-p  \">Quick Links<\/p>\n<p><button id=\"pnAdvancerLeft\" class=\"pn-Advancer pn-Advancer_Left \" type=\"button\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"background: none;\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/skm\/assets\/article\/article-scroll-left.svg\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button><\/p>\n<nav id=\"pnProductNav\" class=\"pn-ProductNav\">\n<\/nav>\n<p><button id=\"pnAdvancerRight\" class=\"pn-Advancer pn-Advancer_Right \" type=\"button\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"background: none;\" src=\"https:\/\/staticg.sportskeeda.com\/skm\/assets\/article\/article-scroll-right.svg\"\/><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<p>More from Sportskeeda<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n<span class=\"publisher-name\">Edited by Veer Badani<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sportskeeda.com\/basketball\/news-kendrick-perkins-lauds-ivica-zubac-s-lockdown-defense-nikola-jokic-clippers-force-game-7\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Ivica Zubac didn\u2019t particularly light the box score up on Thursday. However, his defensive effort, particularly on Nikola Jokic, proved to be invaluable. 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