LA Clippers: Is Paul George’s recent offensive stretch worrisome?

Paul George has had a rough offensive stretch throughout his past few games to the point where it may be growing worrisome for the LA Clippers.

Paul George has had an injury-riddled season for the LA Clippers, playing in only 36 of their 58 games thus far. The 29-year old has been continuously battling a reoccurring hamstring injury, causing him to miss a handful of games this season.

The former All-Star has played in 10 of the team’s last 11 games but has been in a lengthy slump on the offensive end. In that stretch of games, George is averaging 14.7 points per game, far below what we are used to seeing from him.

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George’s shooting averages have taken a hit as well, currently sitting at 38.3 percent from the field and a vile 31.9 percent from deep in his last 10 appearances.

As the second star on this Los Angeles Clippers’ team, George simply has to be better if this team has a championship run in mind. The team is 6-4 throughout their last ten with George, which has caused this mass array of panic among fans of the Clippers, but it is nothing to worry about just yet.

At this moment, George’s recent offensive struggles might not be entirely his fault. The forward has been battling through an injury he cannot shake and has not been at full-strength in quite some time. Only playing in twelve games throughout January and February, George has not had the chance to showcase his play routinely.

The LA Clippers have also been growing through some growing pains as they integrate new pieces into their lineup. Marcus Morris Sr. came over from the New York Knicks through trade and Reggie Jackson via buyout from the Detroit Pistons, and both are getting familiar with their new team.

Both Morris Sr. and Jackson are lethal threats with the ball in their hands, averaging double-digit scoring on the season. Meshing them into a lineup that already has Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Lou Williams, and others is not the easiest thing to do. These two veterans are going to take some shots away from players like George while they try to build team chemistry.

For now, Paul George’s recent offensive stretch is not something to overthink about. The star is coming off a nagging injury and trying to get himself back into a steady rhythm while playing with a new lineup. Attempting to figure out a roster with this much talent is an excellent problem to have, and these things take time.

However, something to keep an eye on is the consistency of this injury George has been dealing with going forward.

If this hamstring injury continues to plague George and keep him sidelined, the Clippers are going to run into some trouble down the line. This is an immensely deep group of players, but chances of a deep title run have to sink drastically without number 13 on the court. With less than a quarter of the regular season to play, this team cannot afford to lose him again.

If George can stay healthy and get back in his groove offensively, keep an eye out for the Clippers as the postseason approaches in the near future. As of now, Paul George has all eyes on him moving forward.