Ivica Zubac called Nikola Jokic the best player in the league and acknowledged the challenge of guarding him but expressed confidence in the LA Clippers' ability to compete.
The first-round playoff series between the No. 4 seed Denver Nuggets and No. 5 seed Los Angeles Clippers promises a fierce battle—especially in the paint, where two top European centers will square off.
Nikola Jokic
| Team: |
Denver Nuggets |
| Position: | C |
| Age: | 30 |
| Height: | 208 cm |
| Weight: | 111 kg |
| Birth place: | Sombor, Serbia |
Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic will face off against Croatian big man Ivica Zubac in what should be a physical and high-level matchup.
"It's gonna be tough. He's incredible," Zubac said of Jokic via Joey Linn. "Best player in the league, for sure. He's got so much stuff. You gotta mix in a lot of different coverages. It's gonna be tough, for sure. But I think we have our advantages. I'm sure our coaching staff is gonna prepare us to be locked in from Game 1."
Jokic wrapped up the regular season averaging a triple-double: 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game. Zubac, meanwhile, had a strong year of his own, posting 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.
The Nuggets and Clippers split their four regular-season meetings.
