As Kawhi Leonard and James Harden sit out, the LA Clippers relied on the energy of Russell Westbrook and the stellar performance of Paul George to complete a stunning 26-point comeback against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Contrary to the fervent atmosphere and emotional outbursts of the players on the court, billionaire owner Steve Ballmer clasped his hands over his head, exhaling a sigh of relief. His team, the LA Clippers, just completed a remarkable comeback from a 26-point deficit, dramatically defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The spectacular comeback was sealed by Paul George, the protagonist of the game-winning score and a crucial block, culminating in what could be considered his best performance in a Clippers uniform.
With 6 minutes and 35 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the LA Clippers trailed 94-68. Few believed in a comeback, but Paul George had a different mindset.
The player born in 1990 scored 23 of his total 39 points in the final 6 minutes of the game, helping the home team at Crypto.com Arena shock the Cleveland Cavaliers with a final score of 120-118.
Throughout the game, Paul George played 44 minutes (including the entire third and fourth quarters), scoring 39 points with 11 rebounds. He shot 16 free throws with a 100% success rate, pocketing the game-winning shot with 7.1 seconds remaining, followed by a crucial block to secure the victory.
Every point from PG13 was crucial because in this game, the LA Clippers were without the services of Kawhi Leonard due to injury. James Harden entered the game but aggravated an old injury and sat out the entire fourth quarter.
Sharing his thoughts after the game, Paul George revealed that he actively requested Coach Ty Lue to play without resting. The Clippers’ head coach was hesitant but ultimately agreed, and was rewarded with an outstanding performance from his pupil.
“I knew we weren’t ourselves in the first half of the game. By the third and fourth quarters, I was ready to do whatever it took to help the team find itself again,” Paul George said after the match.
Alongside Paul George, another name that deserves mention is Russell Westbrook. Although Russ’s stats were not particularly impressive with 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, the energy he brought helped uplift the entire LA Clippers team.
“At this point in the season, everything is determined by spirit and determination. I never give up, and I believe this team doesn’t either no matter what the score is,” Westbrook responded in an interview after the game.
“Keep fighting until the final whistle blows; you never know what might happen. Knowing that the team was missing some key players, but we still fought our hardest. In the end, the favorable result came.”
This result helped the LA Clippers reach 50 wins this season, achieved through 6 victories in their last 7 games.
This was also the second time in four days that the LA Clippers won a comeback from a double-digit deficit. Last Friday, they erased a 17-point lead from the reigning champions, the Denver Nuggets, to win with a score of 102-100.