The Los Angeles Clippers have been the poster team for load management in recent years, with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George seemingly being unable to stay healthy for when it matters most. Nevertheless, fans know that the Clippers are as dangerous a team as any, as long as their two stars stave off the injury bug. George's reputation, in particular, has taken a 180-degree turn in recent years. After struggling immensely in the bubble, the Clippers star forward has emerged as one of the most beloved players in NBA fan circles due to his dazzling array of dribbling moves and the impeccable smoothness of his game.

In fact, George is drawing rave reviews for his elite ballhandling, especially for his size. Despite standing at 6'9, the Clippers star can handle the rock like a point guard, with his fluidity with the ball at his size being a sight to behold — even for his peers. George's teammate, Terance Mann, even showered him with incredibly lofty praise, putting his handles in the same rarefied air as Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving's.

“When PG is on, he's like [Kyrie Irving] too sometimes, he's making sh*t up as he goes,” Mann told Theo Pinson in the Run Your Race podcast by Tidal League.

Paul George may be overtaxed as a primary ball-handler, but when attacking closeouts and functioning as a secondary creator, he's such a handful for defenders to deal with. And Terance Mann realized this firsthand. Mann revealed that when he entered the league in 2019, the then-newly-acquired Clippers star gave him his welcome to the NBA moment.

“PG [was the one who first busted my a*s]. PG for sure,” Mann added. “I was guarding him today, he was flying. Didn't miss a beat. His bag is crazy, bro.”

Now, the Clippers fans will be wishing upon their lucky stars that the basketball gods spare Paul George and Kawhi Leonard from the injury bug. And who knows? Even if the Denver Nuggets are still as difficult to deal with as last season and even though the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks made blockbuster acquisitions, the Clippers may be able to flourish in a setting with lower expectations, for as long as they remain healthy.