Clippers’ stars getting ready for full-contact fun, working on hitting 3-pointers
Clippers coach Doc Rivers told reporters on the scene that Kawhi Leonard ran five-on-five drills Saturday, a full participant in practice for the first time in Honolulu, where the team will face the Shanghai Sharks on Sunday (4 p.m. PDT, Prime Ticket).
Eventually, Paul George will be cleared to join Leonard in the full-contact fun — which will be facilitated, the Clippers hope, by the expanded offensive capabilities of other members of a versatile roster.
In particular, Ivica Zubac and Montrezl Harrell hope to seriously extend themselves in order to clear space for their superstars to operate.
The 6-foot-8 Harrell worked on “everything, really” this summer — including “shooting the ball from all aspects of the floor, mid-range, all the way out to the 3-point line.”
The 7-1 Zubac had a similar summertime regimen, including: “Working on my 3-point shot, trying to be like JaMychal (Green).”
Green, a 6-foot-9 forward who proved last season he also can be counted on as a small-ball center, shot 41.3 percent (33 for 80) from 3-point range in 24 regular-season games and 52.2 percent (12 for 23) in the playoffs for the Clippers. They so appreciated his output they re-signed him this summer to a 2-year, $9.7 million deal.
“It’’s going to be very important, the attention is gonna be on them, for us to space the floor,” Green said. “Just open up opportunities for everybody, for them to drive and kick. It’s just our job to knock shots down.”
That said, neither Harrell (5 for 32 in his career) nor Zubac (0 for 4) are anywhere near as proficient from behind the 3-point arc — although they both talked at media day about doing their homework this offseason to change that.
“I’ve been working on my shot, that’s what the coaching staff wanted me to do,” said Zubac, who said he also improved his diet, his conditioning and worked on finishing at the rim. “I always had that shot but I didn’t get a chance to shoot it, so I just needed more reps. I think I’ll be ready this year, if there’s a chance, to shoot it.”
In Thursday’s preseason opener — a 109-96 loss to the Houston Rockets — neither Zubac nor Harrell made a 3-pointer.
In 17 minutes, Zubac had 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks and went 4 for 5 from the floor, missing just a 13-foot jumper, the only shot he tried outside of the key. And Harrell, who scored a team-high 17 points went 5 for 10 from the field, missed his only 3-point attempt.
Green did his usual thing to stretch the defense, taking three attempts from 3-point range and burying one.
There is another shot hibernating in Zubac’s arsenal that might see some light this season.
“I’m still working on my skyhook,” said the 22-year-old, who’s discussed the grand, high-arching shot Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who made it famous. “I’m just waiting for a chance to use it.
“It’s not an easy shot and when I was not playing a lot for the last three years, I didn’t want to use my time on the court to shoot a sky hook because that wouldn’t end up well,” added Zubac, who averaged only 13 minutes per game in his two-plus seasons with the Lakers before being traded to the Clippers, with whom he played more than 20 minutes per game last season.
“Now when I know what my role is, I’m gonna have more constant minutes. I think this year might be the year when I start taking that shot.”
JaMychal Green has that in his ?!? Sheeeeesh. #Clippers up 15 on the #Warriors in the third. #LACvsGSW pic.twitter.com/AVP04Gwqzs
— All Around (@nbaoutsiders00) April 25, 2019