Bogdanovic has been the answer for LA

Inglewood, CA (News4usOnline) – The Clippers essentially bet on one player at the trade deadline, and their gamble looks like a winning ticket. LA shipped off two of their most important bench pieces, Terance Mann and Kevin Porter Jr., replacing them with Bogdan Bogdanovic, and the guard’s veteran presence is paying off.

Bogdanovic has soaked up Mann and Porter’s minutes, stepping into a much-needed scoring role off the bench for the Clippers. He averaged nearly 17 points per game last year in Atlanta and has been a feared bucket-getter in the league for a long time.

“When he first got here, I thought he was a catch-and-shoot guy who could run a little bit of pick-and-roll, but his strong suit is pretty much being able to create and make plays for other guys and himself,” said Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue.

In the Clippers’ 114-98 win over the Pelicans on Wednesday, April 2, Bogdonovic went 5-6 from the field, hitting four of his five three-point attempts, scoring 16 points.

He closed the game out with the starters down the stretch in the fourth, hitting three shots from beyond the arc in the quarter to help seal the win.

“He has been really good. In some of the closer games, we have put the ball in his hands to run pick and roll and make plays for other guys while James (Harden), Kawhi (Leonard), and Norm (Powell) are off the ball. He is a big-time player and he has a lot of toughness behind him, so it is just continuing to bring him along and understanding how to use him,” said Lue.

Bogdanovic was back at it two days later against Dallas, sparking the offense again as they went on to beat the Mavericks 114-91.

He subbed into the game with the Clippers up by five, and by the time he subbed out deep into the second quarter, LA had extended their lead to 19.

In the second half, it was a 22-point margin when he checked in, and their lead was extended to 33 by the time Bogdanovic’s night was done.

He finished the game with 12 points, six assists, and four rebounds on 4-6 shooting from three.

“They trust in me, and not only when it is going well. When I was shooting 1-12, they kept trusting me, and they probably saw how much I was putting in the work. This team is tough, and we are just trying to figure out how to be better every game,” said Bogdanovic.

16 PTS
5-6 FG
4-5 3PT

BRAVO, BOGI ? pic.twitter.com/iDHHCre1hB

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 3, 2025

An underappreciated aspect of Bogdanovic’s contribution to the team is his ability to run the second unit when one of their primary scorers has to take a night off or take a midgame breather. In an effort to keep their superstar player fresh, Bogdanovic usually subs in for Kawhi Leonard and rolls with the starter before taking over the bench unit.

After a mid-season lull, the Clippers have won 13 of their last 16 games, and are fully in sync as a group. Talk about getting hot at the right time.

“The biggest difference is that our team is just playing better now. We acquired guys like Bogi… so you don’t have the pressure on guys like Norm having to go out and score 25 points a night. We have a team now where it can be anybody’s night like we talked about all year long,” said Lue.

The roster felt a little stale at the All-Star break, and Bogdanovic has slightly shaken things up. The Clippers have won games on the defensive side of the ball this year, so adding another scoring threat is making too much sense.

“I have been playing in big games since I was 18, where if you don’t win a game, you can’t go out in the city, you can’t have a normal dinner, so I don’t feel the pressure that way anymore, which comes from the experience, of course. I am just trying to read the game and see where my guys are at,” said Bogdanovic.

Do not be surprised when Bogdanovic comes up big in a critical game down the stretch of the regular season or in the playoffs. He has been waiting for the chance to play deep into the postseason for his entire NBA career.