‘Paul George is in his head a lot’: Matt Barnes explains why Clippers star continues to underperform in playoffs

Matt Barnes tried to explain Paul George’s playoff struggles with the Clippers and the Thunder during his appearance on The Jump.

Having been part of several contending teams and eventually having won the 2017 NBA championship, Barnes understands how much it takes to be considered a real contender. His podcast, ‘All the Smoke’, is one of the best podcasts hosted by a former NBA player.

Many All-Stars and big-name players have made appearances on Barnes and Stephen Jackson’s. They find it easy to open up to NBA veterans and champions like the duo who understand the grind much better than ordinary people.

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Matt Barnes wants Paul George to step up his act to thrive in Los Angeles

The Clippers acquired Paul George with championship aspirations, and that is something they fell well short of last season. George was particularly bad in the first round series against the Mavs.

Although he improved his showings a bit at the start of the second round, he was one of the biggest culprits in the Clippers blowing three second-half leads against the Nuggets. Barnes believes it’s because he’s in his head a lot.

“He’s in his head a lot. In a place like LA, that ain’t going to cut it. I just think he’s overthinking every situation. We know what he can do, and we’ve seen it. At his best, Paul is one of the best players in the game on both sides of the ball. So he’s gotta get out of his head.”

Barnes also sprung up in defense of the 6-time All Star online.

Matt Barnes defends Paul George: “You wanna know what goes in players heads & behind the scenes, but once you get it you talk shit.” pic.twitter.com/xPWk0S3pnS

— Farbod Esnaashari (@Farbod_E) December 3, 2020

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Barnes blasted fans for crucifying players instead of empathizing with them when they share their sentiments with the public.