Los Angeles Clippers

Kawhi Leonard Opens Up About Paul George’s Continued Struggles in Clippers-Mavs Series

Published by
Omar Guerrero

Kawhi Leonard needed a big performance from Paul George during Game 4 of their first-round series versus the Dallas Mavericks.

Instead, George had another atrocious shooting game for the third straight time, and the Clippers lost 135-133 in overtime on Sunday. Leonard, however, expressed confidence that his teammate will get over the hump soon.

“His time is coming,” Leonard said. “He had some easy looks tonight. Everybody did, but it’s not his fault.”

George shot 3-of-14 from the field including 1-of-7 from 3-point range to finish with a measly nine points in 45 minutes of action. The six-time All-Star has been mired in a horrible shooting slump since Game 2 of the series.

Over the last three games, George has made only 10-of-47 shots from the field, averaging 11.3 points per game. That three-game scoring average is a far cry from his 21.5 points during the regular season.

In contrast, Leonard has been as good as advertised when he arrived in Los Angeles last summer. He has been carrying the brunt of the offensive load for the Clippers this postseason, averaging 33.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists to go along with 2.0 steals per game in four playoff games.

But even the two-time Finals MVP can’t win the series on his own without George making a sizable contribution.

George’s time can’t come soon enough as the series is tied 2-2 with a crucial Game 5 scheduled for Tuesday.

Omar Guerrero

Omar is a sportswriter who has followed the NBA for more than 30 years. From the Magic-Bird Era to the Small Ball Revolution, he has witnessed the league’s growth into a global phenomenon. He has written for various NBA sites over the past five years, contributing news and editorial content.

Published by
Omar Guerrero

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