For better or worse, the Clippers' title hopes rely on Paul George
By Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer
Paul George has heard the criticism for a long time.
Overrated. Underperforming. Folds under pressure.
The putdowns have haunted over multiple postseasons, reaching a crescendo after he fell apart in The Bubble at Walt Disney World last season. But with the LA Clippers facing a precipitous 3-0 hole if they didn't win Saturday's game against the Utah Jazz, it was George's play that set the tone in his team's 132-106 win.
George put the Jazz on their heels and they could never quite recover.
He established himself as a threat in the first few minutes, dribbling the ball through his legs multiple times and pulling up for a mid-range jumper. He was looking to shoot. He was unafraid.
This time around, he dared the Jazz to leave him open behind the 3-point line. He repeatedly showed them that on this night, that strategy would backfire, making six shots from that distance. He wasn't going to defer to Kawhi Leonard. He was on the attack.
George had 20 of his 31 points in the first half, giving the world a glimpse of what this team could look like when both of its stars are rolling.
When George slams on the gas too, the Clippers are championship contenders.
"Oh, we're a different team," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. "We know that. It's been like that all season long. He's been great."
But this was George's first 30-point performance since April 23, when he had 33 points in a game against the Houston Rockets.
The Clippers need George to be aggressive.
Lue has emphasized that all season and, after Saturday's win, he referenced a fine-dining restaurant to drive home his point.
"With our two guys, we know that they are two of the best in the league," Lue said. " ... I don't go to Mastro's to order the ketchup. I go to order the steak. And tonight, our guys want steak. That's what we need."
While the first half belonged to George, the second half belonged to Leonard, who had 24 points on 10-for-12 shooting over that period, finishing with 34 points and 12 rebounds.
Leonard has repeatedly carried the Clippers with superhero performances throughout the playoffs. He's scored at least 30 points four times, including two 40-plus point performances.
But when George is aggressive on both ends, the Clippers don't have to live or die on Leonard's tired shoulders. George did it all Saturday, including playing lockdown defense on Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 30 points but was held scoreless in the first quarter.
When George was asked what was the difference for him in Game 3 versus Games 1 and 2 of this series, he kept his answer short and sweet.
"I think I just shot my shots," he said. "You know, looked to get the shots I'm most comfortable with and stuck with it."
Simple as that?
"Yes, simple as that," he said.
If only he could do that on a regular basis.
The Clippers have been flirting with disaster all postseason. They've twice fallen into 2-0 series deficits, first against the Dallas Mavericks and then again against the Jazz.
They knocked the Mavericks out of the first round in a hard-fought seven-game series, but will they be able to dig deep and pull off yet another improbable comeback? This much is for sure: History is against them.
No team has ever overcome multiple 2-0 deficits in the same postseason.
Yet the Clippers are back in this series, nursing a seemingly small 2-1 hole. Their recipe for success is simple. All it takes is two main ingredients.
"We both understand we've got to be aggressive from this point on and do whatever it takes to win," George said, also referring to Leonard.
It really is simple.
But it's much easier said than done.
Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She has previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.