Paul George started his second NBA season with the Los Angeles Clippers the exact same way he started his first: beating the Los Angeles Lakers. George went off on the purple and gold, dropping 33 on them, getting a 116-109 win over the 2020 NBA champions.
PG had already stated that this game and the ring ceremony was going to be a motivation for him and his team and that’s exactly what happened. He had a great game for the Clippers, making a statement both on and off the court. After the game was finished, George was interviewed by the “Inside the NBA” crew, and Charles Barkley asked him about all the rumors suggesting he and Kawhi Leonard getting preferential treatment led to the team’s lack of chemistry last season.
George made it clear that the top dogs in the game work hard to reach that level and if someone was offended by that, they didn’t have that problem right now.
“The dudes that put it in the work, that built themselves up to be where they’re at, it’s a reason they get to that level, they get what they need and they know what makes them play at a high level. Whoever that offends… We ain’t have that issue right now.”
Chuck asks PG if him and Kawhi had special treatment, PG’s response
"The dudes that put it in the work, that built themselves up to be where they're at, it's a reason they get to that level, they get what they need…whoever that offends"
via @gifdsportspic.twitter.com/oouZCHWGFA
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 23, 2020
This is interesting knowing that they don’t have one player now, Montrezl Harrell, who left the Clips to join the Lakers in the offseason. The big man was reportedly having issues with Paul George and the way the team treated him even though he hasn’t won anything, unlike Kawhi.
A lot was said about the situation in the Clippers’ locker room but now things have gone better for them. They lost more players before the start of the season but nobody else was involved in these rumors. This is another addition to the already colorful battle of Los Angeles and it seems like we’re finally in for a big rivalry between these two teams.
