Paul George has taken the blame for the Clippers’ embarrassing 51-point loss against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, recording the worst-ever loss in franchise history. They didn’t deliver, played an awful game and the Mavs took advantage of that.
In the end, they won the game 124-73, making the headlines for destroying the Clippers, who looked very good in their first two games of the season. Well, Paul George stood up and took the responsibility for the defeat. Even though they didn’t have Kawhi Leonard with them after taking an elbow to the face by his own teammate Serge Ibaka, the Clippers underperformed to a level that nobody would have imagined before the match.
PG13 talked with reporters after the beat down, playing down any comment implying the Clippers are in crisis again or that Kawhi’s absence really played a big role in this loss.
“It’s not that big of a deal,” George said. “We got our butts whipped today, but it’s one day.
“We wasn’t ready today. We wasn’t prepared. That’s on me. So, we’ll be ready for the next game.”
“I take full responsibility,” George added. “You know, it’s a tough game coming [after] Christmas. I enjoyed my Christmas Day [celebration] yesterday. Today just popped up on me a little too fast.
“I’ll take full ownership for that, coming out and being prepared to play today. Be a different situation come next game, and we will be ready.”
PG is acting as a leader and taking the blame off his teammates’ shoulders. He knows the Clippers need to show a different face this season and he’s making sure that his voice is heard by his teammates and people outside of the franchise. Of course, nobody expects this to be done again, especially the Clippers.
After last season’s fiasco, this is the last thing they needed but George made it clear it won’t happen again.
