Paul George is expecting to have a bounce back game against the Utah Jazz tonight, in hopes to steal one on the road and pull the series even 2-2, coming back to Oklahoma City for Game 5.
But before the Thunder can do so, George knows his teammates will have to be as locked-in as point guard Russell Westbrook, who has affairs to set with Ricky Rubio, after he outshined him in Game 3 with a 26-point triple-double.
“Oh, we're gonna need that [energy] form everybody,” said George after Monday's shootaround. “You know Russ is gonna be locked-in. We all got to be locked-in at that degree.”
“It's gonna take a full 48 with this team. They're playing really well, they execute really well. We have to take them out of this, though.”
Paul George on Westbrook’s Rubio comments: “You know Russ is gonna be locked in. We all got to be locked in at that degree.” pic.twitter.com/MHY8k89m2x
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) April 23, 2018
George will have to channel Playoff P once again, as the Thunder will need someone besides Westbrook to step up with a huge performance to avoid going down 3-1 in the first-round series.
The Jazz have been able to control the tempo and make the most of their opportunities while fiercely battling OKC in the glass with the twin towers of Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert, along with Rubio and Donovan Mitchell scrapping for some of their own boards.
The Thunder led 1-0 to start, but have now taken two straight losses from a team that seems to have figured out how to slow down their transition attempts and limit the stars' contributions, keeping anyone not named George under 23 points on Saturday night.
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