What Paul George’s dominant return means for the LA Clippers
The LA Clippers house two of the NBA’s best wings, and with Paul George finally healthy and balling, we get to see what that translates to on the court.
Kawhi Leonard‘s load management program seems to be under more scrutiny than ever before. The reigning Finals MVP purposely sat out 22 games last season with the defending champion Toronto Raptors and yet fans are downright baffled to see him on the bench amid a back-to-back set for the LA Clippers.
Is it non-traditional? Perhaps. But Leonard’s fragility can’t be understated. If the Clippers are to compete for a championship, they need to sacrifice November and December to better position themselves for April, May and possibly June.
In the Western Conference, however, a relinquishing of early-season wins is easier said than done. Just a single game can pull the rug on the entire seeding, making all the difference in the season’s outcome.
Resting Kawhi is a non-negotiable, but LA is just 2-3 without him this season, reliant on him for so many things as one of the league’s best two-way players. Its offense takes a dip without him on the court and drops significantly in his absence at the defensive end.
As stacked as the Clippers are across the board, they need more, a star to eliminate the burden of load management and keep them team middling along at worst.
After missing the first 11 games of the season, Paul George has returned to the court with seemingly no ill effects of his offseason double-shoulder surgery.
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The six-time All-Star is averaging 29.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting a blistering 56.3 percent from the field and 52.2 percent from beyond the arc, all in just 24.3 minutes a night.
Coming off a career-best season where he’s picked right off, PG13 is the superstar player capable of carrying the load in Kawhi’s inevitable absence. Those aforementioned numbers came without Leonard in the lineup, resulting in a 2-1 record for the Clippers.
Don’t be misinformed though. These two perennial All-Stars didn’t shake the entire foundation of the NBA over the summer only to take turns as LA’s headliner. They joined forces to come home and compete for a championship.
Together, George and Leonard form the most fearsome wing duo at both ends of the floor. They combine for eight All-NBA appearances and nine All-Defensive Team selections at 29 and 28 years old, respectively.
Nobody can outright shut down LeBron James, but PG13 and Kawhi have about as much experience as anyone else in the endeavor.
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Numerous past playoff battles, along with their physical profiles, make them the most worthy challengers to take LeBron out of his rhythm, giving the Clippers their best shot at removing perhaps the biggest roadblock in their path to the Finals.
light. more clippers. Clips take first battle of L.A.
The Clippers were more than willing to acquiesce to Leonard’s rest demands knowing full well the possibilities that came with it.
After slowly breaking down towards the end of last season — the precursor behind his offseason surgeries — George will have to undergo some form of load management himself to remain relatively healthy as the season progresses.
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For now, he seems well worth the wait and will only improve as he develops a rapport alongside his new teammates, allowing the Clippers to become the best of whatever version they trot out on any given night.