Paul George exploded for 36 points Sunday, as the Oklahoma City Thunder drew first blood in their first-round matchup with the Utah Jazz via a 116-108 win at home. George definitely was locked in, going 13-for-20 from the field to go with eight 3-pointers, seven rebounds, and a steal.
It’s not all good news for George and the Thunder, though, as it is being reported by Royce Young of ESPN that the two-way forward has been diagnosed with a right hip contusion following the contest.
Paul George has a right hip contusion. Further evaluated and updated tomorrow.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) April 16, 2018
While no significant updates can be expected until after the said evaluation, George will have two full days of rest to see whether he could give it a go for Game 2 this coming Wednesday. George finished the regular season with averages of 21.9 points, 3.3 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. His ability to score and be a menace on the defensive end of the court make him a valuable piece for the Thunder, who are seeking to go up 2-0 against the Jazz in the series.
If he would eventually be ruled out for the upcoming contest, then expect Carmelo Anthony to take on the bigger load on the wings along with Corey Brewer and Terrance Ferguson.
Russell Westbrook should also see an increase in usage in case George will need at least a game to sit. Westbrook had a near triple-double in Game 1, coming up with 29 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, while Anthony had 15 points on 5-for-13 shooting from the field.
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