When the LA Clippers needed him most, Paul George delivered on the biggest stage. Kawhi Leonard was already ruled out, but the Clippers managed to defeat the Utah Jazz in Game 5, 119-111, to take a 3-2 series lead heading back to Los Angeles for Game 6.
George led the way for the Clippers with 37 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and two blocked shots on 12-of-22 shooting from the field. Marcus Morris added 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting and Reggie Jackson scored 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter as the Clippers held off the Jazz.
The day started with news that star forward Kawhi Leonard would be out with a right knee sprain suffered late in Game 4. Leonard informed his teammates of his status on Tuesday night, but word spread around NBA circles until it finally surfaced early Wednesday morning.
“It was no secret, I knew I had to be big tonight and got to be big going forward,” George said after the game. “It was just no secret coming into this, and I just first put faith in God, believed in myself. My teammates trusted me. T-Lue trusted me. And you know, I thought we just lived in the moment and we just played our hearts out tonight.”
Tyronn Lue and the Clippers were thrust into an impossible situation with the news that Leonard would miss the pivotal Game 5. They didn't look at it that way, however. All year long, the Clippers have played shorthanded, and whether it was Kawhi Leonard or Paul George who was out, they felt prepared for any situation.
The Clippers started Terance Mann in place of the injured Leonard and stayed small for most of the game, with Ivica Zubac only playing eight minutes.
“We just wasn't afraid to try new things,” Lue said after the game. “We tried a lot of guys in a lot of different position. A lot of guys got a lot of time playing with each other when guys were out. We had to just find ways to win. Sometimes it was ugly but we had to do it. I think with guys being out this season playing a lot of different combinations, a lot of guys in lot of different positions that's helped us and with Kawhi going down if a guy is stepping up — like we had T-Mann playing the five today. So guys step up. We just plug guys in and we just continue to be better. Always play the right way, we play together and we have that toughness about us and we're going to be fine.”
During Wednesday's morning shootaround, Tyronn Lue revealed that Paul George delivered a message to his Clippers teammates and coaches that he would fully deliver on just hours later:
“Just this morning before shoot around, he said, ‘T, I got us.' He said the same thing after the game, just ‘thank you for trusting in me and believing in me all season long,'” I said, “Come on, man, are you serious.” He's been phenomenal.”
A cool 37 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks later, the Clippers are just one win away from their first ever Conference Finals appearance.
“It was blow,” Paul George recalled learning of Kawhi Leonard's injury. “Oh man, it was a tough blow, but at the end of the day, we don't want nothing but the best for Kawhi. It's a positive he can get some rest, hopefully we can hold it down, but it's a positive. He's got a new baby boy here, lot of positives, lot of love for him and his family. We just we gotta do what we do, we gotta come together. Our season is alive because of his shouldering of all the work that he's done, so we gotta hold it together and continue to keep this boat afloat until he returns.”
"It was a tough blow, but at the end of the day. It's a positive he can get some rest. He's got a new baby boy here, lot of love for him & his family. Our season is alive because of his shouldering, all the work that he's done, so we gotta hold it together."
Paul George on Kawhi pic.twitter.com/lSzchoRWLn
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 17, 2021
Heck, Paul George was playing so well a reporter straight up asked him if this what ‘Playoff P' is supposed to play like.
“Sure,” George calmly chuckled and responded.
Reporter – “Is this what Playoff P looks like?”
Paul George – “Uhh… sure?” pic.twitter.com/HVWTCBh31z
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 17, 2021
Kawhi Leonard not playing in Game 5, and for the very near future, put Paul George into a mode we haven't seen in quite some time. The last time he was thrust into a leadership role as kind of the lone superstar on the team was during his years as a member of the Indiana Pacers.
“I think back then it was more so just playing off of drilling, playing off of athleticism. Because of those moments, because of the matchups against LeBron, playing against a tough New York team, playing against or battling against Atlanta, battling against Washington, because of those matchups as a young guy. It helped me mentally just to grow into a leader.
“As a young guy, the vets allowed me to lead. Coming into tonight, that's really where my mindset was. I dug into that space of coming in trying to lead the team. Being down a big piece that's irreplaceable, I knew I had to step in and fill some of the holes. That's just what the mindset was coming into tonight.”
Game 6 between the Clippers and Jazz is set to tip off at 7PM PST. If the Clippers hope to advance, they'll need the latest version of Paul George to show up for a second consecutive game. Staples Center will be returning to full capacity for the first time all season, which means just under 20,000 Clippers fans will be dying to root their team in what could clinch their first ever Conference Finals.
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