3. The stars
This slide was originally going to be all about Paul George and how he silenced his doubters. Don’t worry, we’ll get to him. However, as I was thinking this over, I realized there has not been enough love given to Kawhi Leonard.
Kawhi is really freaking good. With how he plays his game and his quiet persona, he’s almost overlooked in this series. Luka Doncic and Paul George have deservedly gotten all the talk of these two teams in the first round while Kawhi has just silently gone about his business.
Last night, Kawhi scored 30+ points for the fourth straight game. This tied his highest postseason streak. Leonard has been dominant on both ends and has done his part in getting the Clippers to this 3-2 series lead. He’s the best player on this team and very well could be the best one in the league.
Okay, now to PG. He’s back! (At least, we hope!)
George came out looking a lot more confident after laying three duds in a row. He scored 35 points on 12 of 18 shooting from the floor. It was everything he needed. PG also added three rebounds and two assists.
"The bubble got the best of me. I was just in a dark place. I really wasn't here. I checked out. ... Shoutout to the people that stood behind me."
— FanSided (@FanSided) August 26, 2020
(via @NBAonTNT)pic.twitter.com/iZT3P3hU7k
After the game, George admitted that he had been in a dark place and had let the bubble get into his head. Luckily for him, Doc Rivers and his teammates all lifted him up and continued to tell him that they knew what they were capable of.
If PG can continue to play like the superstar we know he is, this Clippers’ team becomes dominant and should be feared by every team in the league. Let’s hope this performance is closer to the norm and not the outlier.