Paul George and the Clippers have made big strides in the race to the playoffs so far this season. The 2019 steal leader has become a vital cog in the Clippers machine alongside Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook. Despite their recent topsy-turvy run of form, the LA-based franchise is well on course for a strong playoff run and have the necessary ammunition to go deep.
Their next game against the Lakers has bragging rights on the line but a problem has emerged all of a sudden in the form of Paul George.
What happened to Paul George?
After announcing their brand-new logo and jerseys, the LA Clippers announced Paul George being ruled out for the game against the LA Lakers. PG-13, who has been among their consistent performers, will be missing his second straight game on Wednesday due to injury.
Reporters questioned the Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue when George missed practice prior to the match day. Lue informed that “he’s hurt” without giving away many details about his injury.
George was sidelined on Sunday’s game too against the Sacramento Kings due to left knee soreness which acted to the Kings’ advantage and gave them a 123-107 victory. He has suffered with his knee injury for a while, and it is not certain yet whether he will be absent for more games or not.
With an average of 22.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting at 39.5% from the 3-point range and 45.6% from the field in the 52 games George has appeared, he played a major role in the Clippers success this season. The duo of George Paul and Kawhi Leonard has helped the franchise in securing their position in the fourth place of the Western Conference table so far.
Coming back from the NBA All-Star break, George played over 36 minutes in consecutive games against the OKC and Grizzlies, scoring 14 points in both.
Who are in contention to fill in for Paul George?
Evidently, the Clippers play better with their star forward Paul George on the floor. In fact, former Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal believes that they could run for the Championship title in the 33-year-old’s presence. Now with George missing the next game, the question arrives who will fill in his void?
Norman Powell will be seen again on the floor after his performance against the Kings on Sunday. The NBA Champion (2019) played for 37 minutes after coming back from a right ankle sprain and scored 21 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists.
Amir Coffey who did not get enough time this season could finally show his excellence by getting more than his average 18.4 minutes. The 26-year-old has averaged 6.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists while shooting at 53.4% from the floor and 42.5% from the 3-point range so far this season.
The star-studded Clippers line-up, with Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, will face LeBron James’ Lakers for the last time at the Crypto.com Arena.
