Getty Images Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers have been waiting to see star small forward Paul George suit up and make his home debut. George, who has been out since April due to surgery on both shoulders, made his season debut in Thursday night’s loss on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Though this was an exciting moment for Clippers fans, George still needed to play his first home game as a member of the team. That came on Saturday, as PG took the court and put together a dominant performance in a 150-101 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
- George was on fire in the victory, racking up 37 points, the most a player has ever had in NBA history while playing fewer than 21 minutes, as ESPN reported. At the start of the fourth quarter, George made his sixth three-pointer of the night. To boast about his accomplishment, PG taunted Migos rapper Quavo, a well known Hawks fan, and did a little Michael Jordan shrug at him.
Funny moment from last night’s Clippers-Hawks game: Paul George nails his 6th three-pointer, backpedaled, looks over at Hawks fan Quavo, smiles, and shrugs.
Per ClutchPoints, Quavo gave up shortly after, opting to leave when the Hawks were trailing the Clippers by 44 points.
Two minutes later, Quavo throws the white flag in disgust leaves the game with his Hawks down 44 to the Clippers.
Paul George’s Home Clippers Debut
Go big or go home is what they always say, but PG-13 did both last night. Fans roared in the stands with excitement as the six-time NBA All-Star ran onto the floor for the first time as a member of the Clippers.
PG came out and didn’t disappoint. Along with his 37 points, he tacked on four rebounds, three assists and two steals. In one of George’s most memorable plays from last night, he drove to the rim, was pushed from behind, picked up a foul and still managed to score for the and-one. Before he went to the line to shoot his free throw, he screamed, “I’m back!”
Per ESPN, after last night’s game, George said in an interview, “I got [a] new shoulder. I can’t say nothing else to that: I got new shoulders. And they haven’t been this healthy in a long time.”
Between George’s two games against the Pelicans and Hawks, he has scored a total of 70 points in 44 minutes. He’s made 10 of 17 shots in each of his first two games and has racked up an impressive 16 three-pointers while knocking down all of his 21 free-throw attempts.
George is confident in his game and said that he knows he could’ve played better if he wasn’t just coming back from recovery.
“It could have been my first 50 [-point game]. That’s just how I felt, but … I’m a confident player. It wasn’t more so a confidence [thing] by me saying I’m back. It’s just a statement. I’m just happy to be back to this game.”
Clippers Upcoming Schedule
GettyLos Angeles Clippers forwards Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
The Clippers are scheduled to host the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday night. According to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, Kawhi Leonard (left knee contusion) and Patrick Beverley (sore left calf) are both questionable.
In another report by Farbod Esnaashari of Forbes, Doc Rivers reportedly said that “fans will most likely see Kawhi Leonard and Paul George finally play together on Monday.”
Assuming that’s the case, it would be the moment that Clippers fans have waited all offseason for.
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