After a swinging season (which was still incredible, for what it’s worth), Paul George looks like his old self again.
The Los Angeles Clippers star looked fantastic in all three of her team’s scrimmage games, sinking jumpers from all over the floor, attacking the paint and playing a quick, physical defense.
In those games, George averaged 16.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists in about 24.0 minutes per game. They are 24.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists every 36 minutes, impressive figures to be published considering that in the last four months he has just played basketball.
Those numbers don’t tell the whole story, however, given that George also shot the ball at a very efficient rate.
Overall, George passed 15 out of 33 from the field (45.5%), 8 out of 11 from the charity bracket (72.7%) and 10 out of 19 from three points (52.6%), which is reduced with a percentage 63.4% real shooting range – over five points more than the score he released during his MVP caliber season with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019.
It is an extremely small sample size and the effort of all the teams involved could be considered questionable at times, but the point is still evident that George looked visibly fresh from the moment of his first possession onwards.
Not surprisingly, it sounded the way it did. For the first time all year, George is completely healthy. He has now completely recovered from the multiple shoulder surgeries he underwent last summer and also ended the rehabilitation process. Finally, Clippers fans catch a glimpse of what George can really do.
This is exactly why we shouldn’t expect it to slow down soon.
During these games, George appeared increasingly confident in his shot and body. He showed extraordinary chemistry with his teammates, offering passes with millimeter precision and guiding them to their points. He looked like one of the best basketball players, which is when he is at his peak.
Time will tell if George can sustain this level of play during the seeding games and the Playoffs, but for now, Clippers fans should be encouraged by what they have seen.
