Where did it come from? The historic performance of the night (between Sunday and Monday) and one of the most unexpected of recent years in the NBA is recorded by none other than Ivica Zubac, who exploded with a statistical line from the movies in the 100:114 victory of the Los Angeles Clippers over Indiana: 31 points at 82% from the field (14 of 17) and 100% of the penalty (3 of 3) along with 29 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks.
The last NBA player to finish a game with 31 points, 29 rebounds and 3 blocks? One by the name of Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Zubac became the first since Shaquille O’Neal in 2004 to record at least 30 points on 80% of the field and 25 rebounds in a game.
“I always wanted to finish a game with 20 points and 20 rebounds,” he said Zubac In the end, “I wanted so much to reach 30/30 but I went out with six fouls and I got mad. Croatia’s game in the World Cup today (1:4 victory over Canada) inspired me. I don’t want anyone to have it easy in the paint against the Clippers.” By the way, if he had picked up one more rebound, the Croatian center would have been only the third with 30/30 since 1982.
“Numbers from a computer game”, that’s how the official YouTube page of the NBA described Zubac’s crazy show. The journalists in Los Angeles responded: “This is a completely imaginary statistical line. There was a feeling that Wilt Chamberlain would visit for one evening.”
Zubac dropped a stat line so good it made Kawhi smile ???? pic.twitter.com/zjEXQ4rjI4
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 27, 2022