Clippers Notes: Lopez, Leonard, Collins, Garland

Brook Lopez joined the Clippers to function a veteran backup to Ivica Zubachowever now it seems like he’ll be the beginning middle for the remainder of the season, Janis Carr of The Orange County Register writes in a subscriber-only story. Lopez began just a few video games after Zubac damage his ankle in December, however he additionally frolicked out of the rotation, with rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser as the primary middle off the bench. Everything modified when Zubac was dealt to Indiana on the deadline, and LA shall be counting closely on Lopez in his bid to achieve the playoffs.

“It’s just been about staying ready for me,” Lopez mentioned. “Obviously, my goal is to help my team win by whatever means possible, so on a nightly basis, whatever’s required of me, I’m going to go out there and do it.”

Lopez, 37, was a starter all through his profession earlier than signing with the Clippers final summer season, so he is prepared for a heavy workload. He had 16 factors and 10 rebounds in Friday’s loss to the Lakers, and the offense ran by him after Kawhi Leonard left the sport with stiffness in his left ankle and Benedict Mathurin fouled out.

“I’m comfortable in a lot of different roles,” Lopez mentioned. “It’s something I got to do for a good decade in my career, so I’m confident doing that. Again, whatever’s required of me.”

There’s extra on the Clippers:

• Leonard, who’s listed as questionable for Sunday’s sport towards Orlando, drew excessive reward from long-time rival LeBron James After the sport, Carr provides. James mentioned that even with Leonard’s prolonged harm historical past, he is one of many league’s greatest gamers. “There’s things you can’t control. You only can control the controllables and the things that he’s been controlling is how he comes back and how (much) perseverance he (has) every single time,” James mentioned. “That guy’s awesome. I swear, I have nothing but great things to say about Kawhi and the guy of basketball he’s been playing over the last couple months. I mean, he is who he is for a reason, so I’m not surprised by it.”
• John Collins shall be held out of Sunday’s contest after struggling a head laceration and neck soreness towards the Lakers, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). Murray notes that there is no indication of a concussion within the harm report.
• Darius Garland tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he knew a commerce out of Cleveland was imminent, and he blames a recurring toe problem that restricted him to 26 video games this season. “It was going to happen regardless, either at the (trade) deadline or this summer. (My agent) Rich (Paul) “had that conversation with me last summer,” Garland mentioned. “But yeah, the toe positively had a think about it. They did not know if I used to be going to be wholesome for this season, which I shall be. But they thought that James (Harden) had one thing that I did not, I believed. He has expertise in playoffs and All-Star numbers nonetheless to today, although he wasn’t an All-Star this 12 months. But yeah, they wish to win proper now. They have a gaggle, too. And I assume I actually wasn’t a part of the plan.”