The LA Clippers won their third game in a row on Friday night, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves, 104-84. Paul George had been carrying the team offensively over the first few games of the season, but it was the other Clippers who came to his aid in the win over Minny.

Paul George finished with his fourth double-double of the season with 21 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and three steals, but shot just 4-of-20 from the field. While he was unable to connect on 16 of his 20 field goal attempts, George did get to the line 14 times on the night, making 13 of those.

He did have four other Clippers score in double figures including Reggie Jackson (20 points), Ivica Zubac (14 points, 14 rebounds), Terance Mann (13 points, 6 rebounds), and Nicolas Batum (12 points, eight rebounds).

Unfortunately, Eric Bledsoe has continued to struggle shooting the basketball. Through eight games, Bledsoe has shot just 35 percent from the field, and that includes his 22-point game in the season opener on 10-of-16 shooting. Since then, it's been seven straight sub-37 percent for the guard out of Kentucky.

Bledsoe didn't shoot the ball well again on Friday night, just 2-of-13, but did do a lot of the little things elsewhere on the court that helped his team spark. His nine points were the fewest among Clippers starters, but he was able to add five rebounds, four assists, and three steals in his 29 minutes of play.

After trailing 49-29 with about five minutes remaining in the first half, the Clippers turned the switch on led by Bledsoe's activity. Their attention to detail was heightened by a few levels and the communication between one another was impossible to miss. The Clippers trailed by 10 at halftime and outscored the Timberwolves, 57-27, in the second half to win by 20.

“I think you saw glimpses of where we can be most effective with Bled,” Paul George said of Bledsoe. “Where he can get it, he can take advantage of his speed, his ability to put pressure on the team to have to run back, load up. I think he’s starting to find his way through that.”

Bledsoe's inability to shoot has messed with some of the spacing in the Clippers' starting lineup. Through the first eight games, the starting guard has made just three of his 27 three-point attempts. That doesn't bother Paul George and the rest of his teammates.

“Again, we all love having Bled out there on the floor with us. He brings so much. I don’t care about his shooting. I don’t care if he’s struggling. He does stuff that boxscore doesn’t show. You know, he just plays hard. He does all the right things. It’s a long season. He’s going to find his way, he’s going to give us shots.”

George also did well to remind everyone that the guard is only a month into his new role in a new system for a new team.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Kai Jones in a Los Angeles Clippers uniform with a bunch of shocked emojis in the background

Owen Crisafulli ·

NBA playoffs with Jalen Brunson, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Anthony Edwards with team logos above them.

Brett Siegel ·

Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Mavs

Tomer Azarly ·

“It’s hard. I don’t think people are understanding how tough it is for someone to come into a new system and is being expected to have a large role and to bring, you know, what he’s great at. It’s hard to kind of find yourself, find your way.”

While Eric Bledsoe continues to try and find his way through the season, Ivica Zubac appeared to have a little coming-out party that everyone has been waiting on. Zubac finished with 14 points, 14 rebounds, two steals, and a number of altered shots at the rim that his one block on the boxscore doesn't reflect.

George had a little message for the big man as well following his impressive, two-game handling of center Karl-Anthony Towns.

“I told him tonight, from now on, there’s no going back,” Paul George added of his conversation with Ivica Zubac. “There’s no more — you get a rebound and you rip that away. I don’t care if you hurt somebody in the process, you rip that ball and you own that ball. You saw that tonight. I was proud of him, I was proud of him, especially it’s an athletic team and he owned his space and he was a dominant presence on the boards, so I was very proud of Zu tonight.”

The Clippers will travel back home for a Sunday afternoon matchup against LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets. A win would get them over .500 for the first time all season. Sunday's game also marks the first of a six-game home-stand, which includes matchups against the Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Chicago Bulls, and San Antonio Spurs.