With Kawhi Leonard out again, Paul George stepping up

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 31: Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers celebrates his shot along the sidelines, to take a 95-93 lead over the Houston Rockets during the fourth quarter in a 95-93 Clipper win at Crypto.com Arena on October 31, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net

With Kawhi Leonard out for a fourth straight game due to right knee stiffness, Paul George delivered an impressive performance against the Houston Rockets to secure the 95-93 win at home.

“I take full responsibility for us and our record right now. Regardless of who is in the lineup, and who’s not, I am more than capable of going out and performing and willing our team to win. So I took a lot of on the chin for myself for the way we have been playing and for the start that we have had so far”, George said after the game.

Kawhi Leonard is set to miss the two upcoming matches against the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs, so Paul George meeds take over again.

“Right now while we’re struggling, we need everything, everybody, every point. But tonight he was huge. We need him to play at that kinda level”, coach Ty Lue commented about the 32-year-old.

“He’s frustrated,” Lue said on the other hand for Leonard before tipoff against the Rockets. “He wants to be out on the floor and then not being on the floor, and then now he can’t travel. He wants to travel, but the doctor said it’s not the right thing to do right now with the stiffness and what he is going through.”

Leonard played in two of the Clippers’ first three games of the season, logging 21 minutes in each off the bench. But he experienced stiffness in his right knee at the morning shootaround last Tuesday in Oklahoma City and sat out the game that night before leaving the team and flying back to Los Angeles to receive further treatment.

The Los Angeles Clippers have currently a 3-4 record, and Paul George is averaging 21.7 points, 7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images

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