Paul George has been a player who has been unfairly treated by a lot of fans in recent memory. Jokes about his playoff performance last season are all over the internet, and with the Clippers choking a 3-1 lead last season, it is clear that many viewed George in a negative light. However, among all that people have forgotten one thing: Paul George is capable of being a superstar caliber player, and he has shown that in his 37 point performance against the Utah Jazz.
There is no doubt that Paul George built up his reputation as a superstar with the Indiana Pacers, the franchise drafted him, and where he played for 7 seasons. With Kawhi Leonard out, they needed that version of Paul George, and he showed that he can still lead a team to victory as a lone superstar. Paul George recently commented on Kawhi Leonard being out and said that he’s back in the Indiana mindset after Leonard’s injury.
Paul George on trusting himself: "I've been in Indiana, where I had to lead a franchise. The beauty here is that I get to do that with one of the best of the world in Kawhi. Now Kawhi's down, I'm back in that Indy mindset … I just dug into a place I've been before in my career"
— Law Murray ❓ (@LawMurrayTheNU) June 17, 2021
"Now Kawhi's down, I'm back in that Indy mindset"
– Paul George pic.twitter.com/JstlXON2jK
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 17, 2021
There is no doubt that the Los Angeles Clippers will need this version of George moving forward if they want to close out the series against the Utah Jazz, and potentially move forward. Game 5 showed us that Paul George is up to the challenge, and he has already shown that even with Leonard out, he’s not giving up.
