Paul George delivered a 34-point performance in his return as the Clippers topped the Jazz.
Clippers swingman Paul George returned to the lineup for the first time in three months and proved key in LA erasing a 25-point deficit in a huge, 121-115 comeback victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.
The All-Star guard scored 34 points in 30:49 minutes for the Clippers after missing three months with an elbow injury.
What a return for PG13 🙌 pic.twitter.com/4LDfIsYLSz
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 30, 2022
“It’s a big morale boost,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “Guys were getting worn down and tired. We needed that.”
Seeing George hit back-to-back 3-pointers in front of the Clippers bench was all Lue needed.
“I was like, ‘OK, he’s good, he’s ready,’” the coach said.
George hadn’t played since Dec. 22 while rehabbing a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
“I feel good,” he said. “There’s no pain.”
George initially wanted to have surgery after getting hurt, but the doctor told him that type of injury heals and the ligament would reattach itself to the bone.
“Thankfully we went that direction,” he said.
Assistant coach Brian Shaw had George running during rehab to the point where he felt more like a track and field athlete than a basketball player.
“Unnecessary running,” George said, smiling, “but it paid off. I trusted him.”
"I wanted to help my guys"
Paul George speaks on drawing inspiration from Kobe Bryant in his return to the @LAClippers, and wanting to finish out the season with his teammates. pic.twitter.com/9FhhIfr8WN
— NBA (@NBA) March 30, 2022
Per Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times, George has begun taking part in more strenuous group workouts of late. He participated in practice Thursday and took part in five-on-five workouts on both Sunday and Monday, per Greif.
George has missed 43 games over the ensuing three months, during which the Clippers — who have also been without fellow star Kawhi Leonard all season — have battled to remain in eighth place in the Western Conference. With only six games remaining, the Clippers are locked into the Play-In Tournament, where George’s return could give them a welcome boost for a likely matchup with Minnesota.
George, 31, was averaging 24.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists before his injury. The Clippers have played the entire season without Leonard (who is recovering from offseason ACL surgery) and the last 18 games without Norman Powell (foot injury).
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
