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

Zubac limped off the court during the Clippers' game on Dec. 20 against the Lakers with what turned out to be a Grade 2 sprained ankle. Zubac is averaging 15.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game this season, with his counting stats and efficiency down slightly from last season. A key reason for the dip is that defenses were more focused on him and collapsing down, and the Clippers were not making defenses pay for that choice.

That has changed with Zubac out. The Clippers face the Celtics looking for their seventh straight win, with the previous six wins all by double-digits. The turnaround starts with Kawhi Leonard playing some of his best regular-season ball in years, including dropping 45 on the Jazz in the latest win. The Clippers have also benefited from a lot of 3-point shooting luck during this stretch, shooting 41.2% from beyond the arc on increased volume in their last six games, while their opponents have gone cold, shooting below 25% from deep.

Tyronn Lue has found something in rookie backup center Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, who has played well enough with Zubac out to justify minutes even with the starter's return.