The day after Christmas – which is to say, the day after the Clippers shared the deflating news that a torn ulnar collateral ligament in Paul George’s right elbow meant he’d be joining fellow All-Star Kawhi Leonard on the sideline indefinitely – Tyronn Lue did what good coaches do. He put on a brave face and said the right things.

He spoke of “Clipper basketball” and employed some of his favorite phrases: “Just try to play the right way” and “build good habits.”

“Guys get to step up but not do too much,” he said, describing the situation as an opportunity while also trying to take the pressure off. “Do it by committee.”

And then, acknowledging both the overworked nature of his next statement and its absolute truth, Lue said: “I know we hear the next-man-up mentality, but that’s how we got to be.”

Three games into the Clippers’ season-long eight-game road trip, Reggie Jackson and Ivica Zubac have stepped up to the plate and dug in.

They’ve been a committee of two doing the heaviest lifting, scoring 134 of the Clippers’ 332 points in their games in Denver, Philadelphia and, Sunday, New York City. That’s 40% of the team’s offensive output in those three contests – a victory and two defeats.

Zubac also has hauled in 34 rebounds, recording double-doubles for three consecutive games for the first time in his six-plus-year NBA career.

And Jackson is averaging 8.7 assists on the trip – well above his career and season averages of 4.2 per game.

The Clippers are making a conscious effort to look for Zubac, who has helped himself, too, by earning a season-high 11 free-throw attempts in Sunday’s 110-102 loss to the Knicks.

“He is establishing good position down there, getting to his jump hook,” Lue said. “Also offensive rebounding and getting to the free-throw line a little bit as well.”

Jackson – who is shooting 55.6% from the field so far on the trip – has been characteristically quick to credit the people around him for his recent surge. It’s been a welcome turn of events after he shot 33.6% and 29.2% from 3-point range in his first 10 games back after missing four while waiting to clear COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

“It’s just great spacing, bigs doing a great job of setting screens,” Jackson said. “And then really teammates and coaching staff, the entire coaching staff, and T-Lue pulling me aside and just harping on me being aggressive going downhill, being aggressive to get in the paint and then make plays.

“And then, I think, of course he’s just calling my number a lot more to get opportunities, (so I’m) starting to get my footing under me and feel comfortable.”

The question for the Clippers ahead of their game Tuesday in Washington, D.C., where they’ll face a 23-24 Wizards team that has lost three in a row: Who’s on deck?

While Jackson (30 for 54) and Zubac (26 for 35) shot a combined 62.9% in the past three games, the rest of the team has gone 70 for 174 from the field (40.2%).

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Playing with a heavy heart following the death of a close friend, Marcus Morris Sr. has cooled off; he is 4 for 20 in two games after a 13-game stretch when he averaged almost 20 points.

Terance Mann has appeared, at times, indecisive and is 7 for his past 18. And sharpshooter Luke Kennard has been playing himself back into shape and rhythm after missing nine games in protocols, going 10 for his past 28 from the field and 7 for 22 from 3-point range.

Lue’s thoughts?

“We’ll be fine,” he said after Sunday’s loss, noting that his priorities since Dec. 26 – a span in which the Clippers are 6-10 – haven’t changed.

“Just seeing if we are playing the right way, if we continue to build good habits on both sides of the basketball,” he said. “That’s the most important thing.”

CLIPPERS (23-25) at WIZARDS (23-24)

When: Tuesday, 4 p.m. PT

Where: Capital One Area, Washington, D.C.

TV/Radio: Bally Sports SoCal / 570 AM

Zu making a statement.

Yesterday was Ivica Zubac’s third-straight game with a double-double, which is the longest such streak of his career. pic.twitter.com/migqazkBtV

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 24, 2022

26 PTS | 10-18 FG | 5 AST@Reggie_Jackson keepin’ it consistent. pic.twitter.com/Oqcp7MbH3I

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 23, 2022