Clippers center Ivica Zubac is expected to return Saturday against the Celtics

After missing five games with a sprained ankle, Clippers center Ivica Zubac is off the injury report and expected to return Saturday night when Boston comes to Los Angeles.

Zubac limped off the court during the Clippers’ Dec. 20 game against the Lakers with what turned out to be a Grade 2 ankle sprain. Zubac averaged 15.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game this season, with scoring and efficiency stats down slightly from last season. One of the main reasons for the decline is that defenses were more focused on him and collapsing, and the Clippers weren’t making defenses pay for that pick.

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Things changed with Zubac’s exit. The Clippers face the Celtics looking for their seventh straight win, with their previous six victories all by double digits. The turnaround begins with Kawhi Leonard playing some of his best regular season ball in years, including dropping 45 on the Jazz in their last win. The Clippers have also benefited from a lot of 3-point shooting luck during this stretch, shooting 41.2% from beyond the arc thanks to increased volume over the last six games, while their opponents have cooled off, shooting below 25% from deep.

Tyronn Lue found something in rookie backup center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, who played well enough with Zubac out to warrant minutes even with the starter returning.