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'I’m always down to tango': How Paul George, Clippers held off OKC Thunder comeback
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- 'I’m always down to tango': How Paul George, Clippers held off OKC Thunder comeback
LOS ANGELES — Paul George had seen enough.
His handle held conviction. He trotted while his theme music — the pacifying drums and strings of Erykah Badu's "Didn't 'Cha Know" — seemingly synced to every twist and turn.
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Until roughly three minutes remained in Oklahoma City's 128-117 Tuesday night loss , the Clipper wing's poetic movements had gone unappreciated, unable to truly push the Thunder away. Then the floor became his symphony.
The open floor push from one hand to another, stopping dead in his tracks before leaving Lu Dort for dead on the baseline. The improbable push shot a minute later with Dort on his back. The slow-motion stepback — once again leaving Dort victim — a minute before another contested 3. The strip and reverse slam that sent George's viewers into a frenzy.
He faded. He glided. He shimmied. He stood alone in the moment, unfazed by the young Thunder squad that did a number on Los Angeles back in OKC. 28 of George's 38 points came in the second half. 18 of those came in the fourth quarter.
In the Clippers ' time of need, there was no shotmaking match.
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Clippers forward Paul George, top, shoots as Thunder guard Luguentz Dort defends during the second half Tuesday night.
"Outside looking in, people that aren't in the NBA — guys are very good at the sport," Williams said of George. "Sometimes there's nights like that. Shai, I feel like other teams probably think the exact same way when it's us. We've been on the other end of it. Just gotta tip your hat on some of those plays."
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , the Thunder's MVP-caliber prince, coughed up the ball that allowed George's exclamation point in transition. It capped off a rough second night of a back-to-back for the star guard, scoring just 19 points on 6-for-16 shooting.
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The Clippers, either with aggressive help or short stunts, met SGA in the gaps to cut off his comfort zones. It left Williams with a lonely outburst, posting 25 points and seven assists. It forced the hands of Dort and Isaiah Joe , who combined for 36 points and 10-for-14 shooting from deep.
George had only played a small part in Los Angeles' barrage of 3s leading up to the fourth. The Clippers went 20 for 43 from Monday, which would've been even more impressive had the Thunder not found a way to shoot 47.1% out there.
As the fourth quarter dwindled, the music intensified. The steps required more detail. The rhythm wouldn't allow for any missteps or tripped feet. The beat surrendered to George.
"I always look at basketball like dancing anyway," George said. "I'm always down to tango."
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Jan 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) battles for the ball with LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and center Daniel Theis (10) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Chet and Shai down in LA
The Thunder's early success isn't some well-kept secret. Gilgeous-Alexander is the consistent engine that's taken OKC the distance regardless of climate or uphill trek. Chet Holmgren has been the team's surprisingly sturdy steering wheel. At their best, they've been an unfathomable young duo. Factor in Williams and the trio reaches lethal levels.
SGA's nightly stardom has become an expectation. Stumping defenders, juking his way to the cup. He's delivered three days a week. The other four he just happens to not be playing. Holmgren's expectations have been different in his first season. Nevertheless, he's established himself as one of the league's premier defenders and a supremely skilled titan.
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When they're on — which is normal — OKC is great. Tuesday wasn't that.
SGA fell short in shotmaking. Holmgren went just 2 for 10, tallying eight points and some early foul trouble. Of the pair's season-long sample, Tuesday's loss won't rank high as a performance.
"They were physical and disciplined at the same time," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "They have guys that've been very high level defenders for a long time."
Nights like SGA had Tuesday are only weighed heavily because of his consistency. This team hardly knows any other life than the one SGA has provided it with a nightly 31-6-6. It begs the question of how much the team would have to supplement in a playoff series against a defense dedicated to him.
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Luckily for OKC, fewer teams have the combination of physicality and perimeter defenders that the Clippers deployed Tuesday. Blowing past Kawhi Leonard to find George at the nail and Terance Mann in the gap isn't a pleasant sight.
Despite a season with few glimpses of being a novice, Holmgren has had his share of rookie trials in LA. His turnovers on Monday, his lessened scoring impact on Tuesday, the less-than-helpful foul trouble early on.
The Thunder won't win many games when Holmgren and SGA look the way they did Tuesday. It's also extremely difficult for them to string together such games. The Clippers knew that. It's why coach Mark Daigneault understood the sensation behind the buzz from LA's locker room postgame.
"I was walking in the hallway and I could hear the Clippers hallway," Daigneault said. "There was a genuine excitement for that win. … We're drawing the best punches from our opponents, and that's exciting because you want to know where you stand."
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Thunder bullish on physicality
Both offered the same sentiment.
Even after a pair of LA games in which teams questioned their physicality, Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander asserted that they'd been pleased with the team's response in those situations this season.
"We're bumping, we're battling down there," Williams said. "I don't think there's any night where guys aren't competing or being physical. Teams are gonna try and do that because we're young. We understand that.
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"I thought we've combated it pretty well this season. I think our record shows for that too."
Gilgeous-Alexander also pointed toward the standings. He doubled down on the team's lack of size within plenty of lineups.
"We don't have the most size, clearly," SGA said. "We know that going into every night. Our record reflects how we've been able to play through it and the fight we've had throughout the first part of the season and making up for some of that."
Thunder tip-ins
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The Clippers' 46.5% from 3 was the fourth best 3-point shooting night for any Thunder opponent this season.
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With Tuesday's loss, OKC sunk to 15-10 versus the Western Conference this season.
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According to the TNT broadcast, folks are still apparently confusing Jalen Williams for Jaylin Williams .
Thunder vs. Jazz
TIPOFF:8 p.m. Thursday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City (Bally Sports Oklahoma)
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Thunder drops back-to-back road games in loss to Paul George, Clippers
