2025-26 Season
NIQUE CLIFFORD
2025-26 Season
NIQUE CLIFFORD
Clifford produces at an below average rate for a 25-minute workload.
Clifford produces at an below average rate for a 25-minute workload.
PBP Credit: Every play is analyzed from play-by-play data. Scorers get difficulty-adjusted credit, assisters get creation value based on the shot opportunity they created, and turnovers are classified by type. Shot difficulty is derived from 1M+ shots across 4 seasons. Full methodology
TEAM COMPARISON
of 17 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
Similar Players
Same position, closest production profile this season.
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 246 Guards with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
Nique Clifford spent his first 25 games desperately trying to justify a rotation spot, a stretch defined by a brutal combination of erratic shooting and glaring offensive ineptitude. Given a rare start on 12/12 vs DEN, he completely cratered. He posted a dismal -19.7 Impact score in 28 agonizing minutes, bricking all six of his three-point attempts and failing to space the floor. Even when he managed to inflate his scoring totals, hidden costs often dragged his overall value into the red. On 11/13 vs ATL, he tallied nine points and four assists but still recorded a -5.9 Impact score because a brutally inefficient 3-for-11 shooting night stalled out the offense. He rarely found a rhythm, though on 12/07 vs MIA, Clifford poured in 15 points on hyper-efficient 7-for-8 shooting, generating a +6.7 Impact score by taking high-percentage looks and attacking the glass for six rebounds. Until he stops forcing bad shots and embraces a simplified role, he will remain a massive liability on the hardwood.
Nique Clifford spent the bulk of this stretch drifting through a brutal mid-season slump before finally catching fire as a spot starter. For weeks, his minutes were plagued by disjointed basketball. Look at the 02/04 vs MEM matchup, where a seemingly efficient 14-point outing masked a glaring -6.2 Impact due to empty-calorie scoring and a complete lack of lineup cohesion while he was on the floor. Fortunately, Clifford also learned how to generate value without forcing up bad shots. Starting the 01/28 vs NYK game, he managed just 7 points but still logged a +1.9 Impact by grinding out critical defensive stops and making relentless hustle plays. Everything finally clicked in his massive finale. Earning the start for the 02/07 vs CLE contest, Clifford erupted for 30 points on blazing 12-for-19 shooting to post a dominant +20.8 Impact, rescuing an otherwise erratic month with sheer offensive brilliance.
This stretch was defined by a brutal shooting slump that temporarily cost Clifford his starting job before a vital late-season resurgence. The wheels completely fell off during a horrific 02/11 vs UTA performance where he bricked his way to 6 points on 1-of-15 shooting. That abysmal shot selection dragged him down to a -2.7 Impact score and soon earned him a demotion to the second unit. He quickly recalibrated his game, logging a massive +14.2 Impact on 02/23 vs MEM despite scoring just 12 points. In that contest, Clifford generated winning value through crisp playmaking and relentless defensive effort rather than forcing bad looks. Reinstated as a starter, he finally found his offensive rhythm on 03/01 vs LAL, pouring in 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting to post a dominant +18.0 Impact. By stripping away the forced perimeter jumpers and attacking the rim, Clifford transformed himself from an early-February liability back into an essential two-way engine.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Inconsistent. Clifford has clear good-night/bad-night splits, with scoring swinging ~7 points between games. You're never quite sure which version shows up.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 42% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Good defender on his best nights, but it comes and goes. Some games Clifford locks in defensively, others he gets picked apart.
Getting better as the season goes on. First-half impact: -8.2, second-half: -0.6. That's a significant jump — could be a role change, confidence, or development clicking.
Hot right now — 5 straight games with positive impact. Longest positive run this season: 6 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY ⚠ Updated 46 days ago
Based on 72 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
75 games played
