The Clippers blew the Pacers out yesterday, and Paul George produced the highlight of the night with a dunk that had Steve Ballmer doing a double-take.
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The Pacers tried hard to hang with the free-scoring Clippers on the night. They matched them shot for shot and even held a small lead at the start of the game. But once Paul George and co got going, it spelt trouble for Indiana. Without the services of Caris LeVert or Myles Turner, they were hard-pressed on both ends.
The Clippers produced a great 12-minute display in the 3rd quarter to blow the game wide open. They outscored Indiana 39-20 in the period to take a 100-75 lead to the final quarter. But the play of the night came early in the first quarter. PG-13 split two defenders and unleashed his wrath on the rim.
How is Paul George faring this season?
Paul George is one of the most accurate high-volume shooters in the league through the first 13 games of 2020-21. He’s taking an average of 8 3-pointers every game and making 51% of them. It seems like he’s determined to put the demons of the previous season behind him.
The Clippers have improved on offense as a result of him taking on playmaking responsibilities. They are currently second in the league in offensive rating and third in net rating among 30 teams.
George has previously shown us he can play at an MVP-like level through the 2018-19 regular season. Therefore, the major challenge for him in this ongoing season would be to continue this performance through to the playoffs.
The Clippers cannot have forgotten the way the Denver Nuggets dumped them out of the playoffs last year. Smarting under the perceived threats, they will be looking to improve their performances. The team looks much more evenly balanced than it did earlier.
