Moussa Diabate still motivated by his duels against the Clippers

Moussa Diabate was selected by the Clippers, with the 43rd pick in the 2022 draft. If the Frenchman spent two seasons in Los Angeles, he never integrated Tyronn Lue’s rotation. The Parisian made just 33 appearances for the Clippers before leaving California to sign with Charlotte in the summer of 2024.

Since leaving Los Angeles, Moussa Diabate has faced his former team four times, and he shined with 13 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks during their last meeting.

“It’s always fun to play basketball,” the Frenchman simply assuresasked how he was doing in duels against the Clippers. “I treat every match the same, I give everything I have. But playing against the team that drafted you gives you a little boost and is even more fun.”

Carried by this boost of energy, Moussa Diabate thus begins the encounter with his feet on the ground, first on the counter John Collins. At the same time, it also appears in the attack. Pivot takes a rebound on one of his missed shots and returns the ball to the circle and resumes another attack after a failed attempt to LaMelo Ball. If he misses, he still grabs his own rebound and scores two more points.

Winner of the rebound duel

In just four minutes of play, Moussa Diabate already has six points and three offensive rebounds.

“He’s the same as when he was here,” constate Tyronn Lue. “He brings energy and offensive rebounds. He’s a small pivot so he can both defend on the perimeter and switch to all positions.”

While the Clippers had in their racket Ivica Zubac (2m13) and Brooke Lopez (2m16), it was Moussa Diabate (2m08) who dominated the battle for rebounds even though he is smaller than the two inside Los Angeles by at least five centimeters! With his 15 rebounds, he grabbed as many as the Clippers’ duo.

However, this was insufficient to prevent Charlotte’s defeat (109-117) despite the final offensive rebound, which offered LaMelo Ball’s shot to bring the Hornets within seven points with one minute left in the game.

How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.