For years, Paul George has received a bad rap. The nicknames were endless, the playoff struggles were evident, and the frustration was at a high level. As good as Paul George always was during the regular season, he came up short in the postseason. Playoff P. Pandemic P. You name it. The Los Angeles Clippers star had been ripped apart time and time again.
He heard it all, he worked hard, he shook it off and got back on the court time and time again to prove the doubters wrong. Well, it happened in the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Sure, the Clippers fell short of the NBA Finals, but the injury to Kawhi Leonard never gave them a fair shot.
When Leonard got hurt and had to miss the last few games against the Utah Jazz, the pressure was on for George– and the stage was set for him to finally show everybody what he is made of on the biggest stage.
Paul George averaged 30-11-5.5 after Kawhi Leonard went down. Did it on a 56.3 TS%. Essentially the same TS% that Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Trae Young have put up for the entire postseason. Brought it on both ends. Elite stuff from PG this postseason run. https://t.co/WMA6EbEd4I
— 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐨 (@FlyByKnite) July 1, 2021
He delivered, and he did so in impressive fashion. Since Leonard went absent with his injury against the Jazz, George caught fire. He scored 30 or more points in three of the eight games with Kawhi, including a 41-point barrage in Game 5 with the Clippers' backs against the wall and on the brink of elimination.
George played more than 40 minutes in all but one game during that stretch, and he posted four double-doubles in that span.
Paul George did everything he possibly could and the Clippers somehow took the Phoenix Suns– at full strength after Chris Paul returned in Game 3– to six games in the Western Conference Finals.
"The narrative of me not being a postseason player… I never understood it. I'm the same person. I've dealt with stuff, as we all do. Makes me no different than the next man. I came up short again. I'm proud of what we did as a team. My good wasn't enough."
– Paul George pic.twitter.com/eSAB0vu4DY
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) July 1, 2021
Pandemic P no more. Paul George proved to everybody that he can perform on the biggest stage. George shot a combined 43 percent from the field in Leonard's absence, and that includes a 5-20 performance against the Suns. He was the main focal point on offense, played good defense, and barely sat during that stretch.
Truth be told, Paul George has proved to everybody that he can perform on the biggest stage, even without Kawhi Leonard. While they ultimately came up short– and that's to be expected with some key injuries– he was sensational during the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
The Clippers got their first Conference Finals trip in 50 years, and they were a few plays away from a tied series and a Game 7 against the Suns.
So, everybody, give Paul George his respect.
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