Lacking size, Tyronn Lue seeks solutions with his bench

For Tyronn Lue, this is his most “ big challenge at present. While his Clippers are experiencing a sluggish start to the season (four wins – four losses), the coach trying to find out how cause “the second five play better and be better “.

This question seems to be linked to one of the choices of the offseason not to replace Isaiah Hartenstein, and to bet almost exclusively on Ivica Zubac for the pivot position. However, according to data from Cleaning the Glass, picked up by the Los Angeles Times, a Clippers five without a pivot is down 9 points on 100 possessions. This negative differential also drops to -15 on 100 possessions when Paul George is not on the field.

” We can be better with our second five, with our small five and it’s my fault. I have to do better to make these guys understand how we should play, what we are trying to do and how we are trying to take advantage of these five “continues Tyronn Lue.

The Moses Brown Surprise

The latter, in the last victory in Houston, received an unexpected assist. Ivica Zubac embarrassed by the faults, the coach had to resolve to send the spare wheel, the “two-way contract”, Moses Brown. Used on sequences of a few minutes so far, the former Thunder pivot has made perfect use of his playing time.

Taking advantage in particular of the game creation of John Wall, author of one of the passes of the evening, the substitute accumulated 13 points (6/8 on shots) and 7 rebounds in 12 short minutes of play. A production that “ really made us win greeted Tyronn Lue after the match won by eight points, while the majority of his substitutes (Norman Powell, John Wall, Terance Mann, etc.) ended with a negative impact on the score.

To see if the Brown option can become a long-term solution for the Clippers, while Paul George believes that the second five must find ” his own identity “and show off” a little more combative “. ” Whatever works for us, I support it, but I want to be out there helping guys get the rebounds. I know a small five can hurt them rebound “, recently displayed Ivica Zubac, the team’s No. 1 rebounder with his best career average (11).

The Clippers’ “second unit” is indeed the third in the league to concede the most rebounds to its opponents. It is up to the army of 3-4 positions of the team to come and support the pivots in this sector.