PLAYA VISTA — For Paul George and Los Angeles Clippers, the biggest game of the NBA season is on Wednesday night. The Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, take on the Clippers for the final time this season in a game that could have serious implications on playoff seeding.
The good thing is that the Clippers are playing at home. Through March 14, the defending NBA champion Warriors are 29-7 at home but just 7-26 on the road. They have won two in a row and seven of their last 10 games, however, heading into Wednesday's matchup.
“I think awareness,” head coach Tyronn Lue said was the team's focus at Tuesday's practice. “You can’t relax with [Steph] and Klay’s constant movement, and now [Jordan] Poole, you can’t relax. They’re always going to relocate on offensive rebounds, they’re all going to get out in transition and get to their spots, the 3-point shots, and so you just can’t relax. You’ve to be aware, you’ve got to have a body on those guys at all times because any kind of separation, you’re dead.”
Both teams will enter Wednesday's matchup with a 36-33 record, meaning one team will take a full-game lead on the other. The Warriors lead the season series 2-1 after defeating the Clippers last week in San Francisco, so a win for either side would help decide where they stand should they finish with the same record.
Since returning from a shoulder subluxation, Stephen Curry is averaging 31.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 5.8 triples per game on 51 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent from deep. By now, everyone is well aware of his greatness and what to try to do to slow him down.
“Just being alert at all times,” Paul George added. “That's really it. He's a threat as soon as he crosses half court and you just gotta be alert. It takes a team to guard Steph.”
Paul George on defending Steph Curry and the Warriors:
“Just being alert at all times. He’s a threat as soon as he crosses half-court… It takes a team to guard Steph.”pic.twitter.com/PPFfqa52am
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 14, 2023
George says that despite the poor road record, the Clippers know exactly who the Warriors are and how good they can be.
“Just uncharacteristic, especially with their DNA that they haven't performed well on the road,” George added. “But who they are at home is who they've been, especially on their championship runs. You gotta expect that they do have that in them and that's the team that you gotta expect to play every night.”
Wednesday's Clippers-Warriors game is set to tip off at 7 p.m. PT on ESPN.
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