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Paul George and the LA Clippers hosted the OKC Thunder on Monday in another crucial regular-season game with have playoff implications. With a little over four minutes left in the third quarter, George gave his team and the fans a boost of adrenaline with this:
“PG13” hasn’t been displaying this kind of in-game dunk in years. Injuries and wear-and-tear have forced him to be more cautious with his gravity-defying slams. This time, though, the situation was perfect. He charged into the lane when Mason Plumlee’s bounce pass hit him just where the ball needed to be.
Paul George's 3-point shooting was awful in this game. He was 0-for-5 from behind the arc, which made that dunk even more important to get his rhythm on offense going.
The eight-time NBA All-Star, however, made an impact on the defensive side of the ball despite his poor shooting night. He had three steals and a block and changed a few shots in his time on the floor.
Paul George, unfortunately, didn't finish the game as he looked to have suffered a hypertextended right knee. Lu Dort and George battled for a rebound when the two initially collided knees and affected George's landing.
"PG13" was helped off the court and into the locker room. Basketball fans are still waiting for information regarding his injury.
The Clippers, without George, kept battling against the Thunder. However, they eventually fell short after Kawhi Leonard missed a potential game-winner as he was hounded by Lu Dortz.
Without Paul George, it was very evident that Leonard was taking the last shot. A pick-and-roll play between George and "The Claw" would have at least freed up one of them from Dortz's leech-like defense.
"PG13" finished the game with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block. Despite the loss, he had a game-high +15 net rating.
LA Clippers, without Paul George, still have a shot at a top-four finish in the Western Conference
After Monday night’s loss, the LA Clippers dropped to 38-34, still half a game behind the Phoenix Suns (38-33) for the fourth seed in their conference. Clippers head coach Ty Lue urged his team to aim for at least a first-round home-court advantage with just enough games left to accomplish that.
The defeat momentarily stopped them from getting that goal, but they’re still in a good spot to nail a top-four finish. Five of their remaining games will be at home, which should bode well for them despite Monday night’s loss at Crypto.com Arena.
The task will be more difficult if George is sidelined for long or is limited. Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers' deep roster, however, should allow them to accomplish that. They just have to adjust, put their heads down and go for their goals.
The Clippers and Thunder will have a rematch on Thursday, likely without Paul George. It will be up to the team to step up as they await news of their teammate's status.
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