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LA Clippers: 3 stats that should improve with Paul George back

By Ryan Snellings

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 13: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers warms up before a pre-season game against Melbourne United on October 13, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 13: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers warms up before a pre-season game against Melbourne United on October 13, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 22: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers practices before the LA Clippers season home opener against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on October 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 22: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers practices before the LA Clippers season home opener against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on October 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

With his return scheduled for tonight, here are three stats for the LA Clippers that Paul George should help the team improve.

After missing all of the preseason and the first eleven games for the LA Clippers, Paul George is slated to start tonight versus the New Orleans Pelicans. No, he likely won’t have his superstar running mate Kawhi Leonard for tonight’s contest, but PG returning is still exciting nonetheless.

The team managed to cruise to a solid 7-4 record to start the season, but with George coming back, the team can finally start to look complete. Sort of. An injury to Landry Shamet will keep the Clippers from being 100%, but we can still see how much better they look with another All-Star on the active roster.

Obviously, numerous things will improve with PG back on the court, but let’s look at three specific stats that will improve with him returning.

1. First Quarter Scoring

If you have watched the LA Clippers at all this season, you know scoring early in the game has been horrible. How horrible, you ask?

11 games into the season, the Clippers sit at 29th in the league in first-quarter scoring, putting up just a shade over 23 points in the quarter. The only team worse at scoring in the opening period is the New York Knicks.

Due to this issue, the team often finds themself trying to claw back, especially in the second half. While it has worked enough to have an above .500 record, it’s not a strategy that will work long-term, especially come playoffs.

Enter Paul George.

Last season, George finished 7th in the league in first-quarter scoring, putting up 7.2 points.

Look, I know it doesn’t work like this exactly, but if you take the 23.3 points the Clippers are currently scoring and add in 7.2 points from George, they would be sitting at 2nd in the league in first-quarter scoring. Again, it doesn’t work like that.

Still, George will add some much-needed offense to a group that has looked stagnant to start. Doc Rivers might not have to bring in Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell as early to get the team going. Fixing the first quarter scoring will just have a nice trickle-down effect.

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