Indiana Pacers center Ivica Zubac gave fans another reason to watch his offseason work closely. Zubac helped Croatia make FIBA history in a 123-50 win over Cyprus, finishing with 24 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in just 18 minutes. The FIBA Basketball World Cup account called the 73-point victory the biggest-ever win margin in World Cup qualifiers.
What happened?
Zubac did not need a massive workload to control the game. The Pacers big man shot 10-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line. He also posted a game-high four blocks, giving Croatia a two-way interior presence that Cyprus could not match.
His plus-minus told the same story. Croatia outscored Cyprus by 44 points during Zubac’s 18:07 on the floor.
Why it matters for Indiana Pacers
The Pacers paid a serious price to get Zubac, acquiring him and Kobe Brown from the Los Angeles Clippers in a deal that sent out Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and draft compensation.
The Croatia performance does not guarantee anything about the NBA season. Cyprus is not an NBA opponent, and international blowouts can distort individual numbers.
But the traits Zubac showed are transferable: efficient finishing, rebounding, rim protection and physical presence. Those are the same traits Indiana will need from him when the games matter.
For a Pacers team built around Tyrese Haliburton’s playmaking, Zubac’s value is easy to understand. A center who can screen, roll, catch, finish and rebound gives Indiana a cleaner half-court option.
Recent form
| Date | Result |
|---|---|
| 2026-04-12 | 121-133 against Detroit Pistons |
The Pacers' recent form has been 1W-0D-4L, with their last result being a 121-133 loss to the Detroit Pistons on 2026-04-12.
Croatia made history. Zubac was one of the biggest reasons why. And for Indiana, the performance was a useful offseason snapshot of what its new center can still provide.
