PLAYA VISTA – The LA Clippers practiced for the third time in the last week, and Paul George is slowly inching towards a return to the lineup, per Tyronn Lue.

Paul George participated in 5-on-5 basketball on Sunday, a week after he first participated in 4-on-4 limited contact practice with the coaching staff. George had been ramping up over the last few weeks, and this is just another step in his return to the court.

Could Paul George return to the lineup sometime this week?

“I don’t know,” Tyronn Lue said. “We’ve just got to see how today’s practice goes and see how he’s feeling and then just go from there, whatever the medical staff seems to think is ideal, that’s what we’ll do.”

Paul George went through an extended shooting workout before the Clippers took on the Sixers on Friday night.

“It would be huge,” Lue added on the potential emotional boost of getting George back. “It would be huge and like I always say hope is stronger than fear so to have the hope that he could come back would be great for our team especially the job our team has done all season long of just playing out of position, doing more than they would normally do on a night-to-night basis but this team has done it so right now we are dragging a little bit and to get a guy like PG back would definitely help us out.”

In 26 appearances this season, Paul George has averaged 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds. 5.5 assists, and 2.0 steals per game on 42.1 percent shooting

The Clippers have three games this week starting Tuesday against the Utah Jazz. They then travel for their final two road games of the season against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday and Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.

In addition to Paul George, Norman Powell is still going through shooting drills, but hasn't participated in any live practice or contact. There's still no timetable on his return, but the team is hopeful to get him back by the end of the regular season.