The LA Clippers looked fine with just one of their stars on the floor last night, but a new rumor claims Paul George will be joining the team very soon.
The LA Clippers looked impressive in Tuesday night’s victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, as Kawhi Leonard took full control of the game in the second quarter and gave the Clippers a necessary edge. The team looked talented enough to hang with the best in the league, and it’s hard to believe that the squad on the floor last night was far from being at full strength. Fortunately, they should get to that point sooner rather than later, according to a new rumor.
Following last night’s game, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reported that Paul George is expected to make his return in approximately three weeks — meaning his debut would come around mid-November.
Looking at the schedule, that could mean George would be making his return against the Houston Rockets on November 13. Given that the Clippers play in New Orleans the following night, it seems likely that George would only play in one of those two games.
A return date of November 13 would also mean that George would only miss the first 11 games of the season. Considering the star forward underwent two shoulder surgeries this summer, this is about as good of news as the Clippers could have hoped for.
George had the best season of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019, averaging 28.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and a league-high 2.2 steals per game. The 29-year-old was also a finalist for the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Until George returns, the Clippers should be able to hold things down despite their difficult schedule. Between now and his anticipated return date, LA will go up against some of the league’s best teams, including the Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz (twice), San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors.
Under the guidance of Leonard and with contributions from key players like Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, it seems fair to say that the Clippers will be in good shape by the time George makes his return. And since there’s not necessarily a rush to get him back on the floor, we can trust that he won’t come back until he feels comfortable doing so.
Although it’s early, the LA Clippers are already living up to the hype. Once George returns, there’s no telling what this team could be able to accomplish.