After a 101-90 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 3 of the Western Conference playoff series on Friday night, Paul George is confident the Los Angeles Clippers can turn things around even with Kawhi Leonard still limited by a knee injury.
Speaking to reporters after Game 3 (starts at 4:51 mark), George said the Clippers have "enough talent in this locker room" to get back on track, while citing the ability of James Harden and Russell Westbrook as reasons to be optimistic.
"James is still one of the best in the world," George said. "Russ is still one of the best in the world. Myself, I mean, we still have enough."
Harden looked like he was going to have another strong game. The 10-time All-Star scored 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the first half, but the Mavs held him to seven points in the second half. His minus-21 in 44 minutes was the worst of any player in the game.
Since scoring 28 points and dishing out eight assists with a plus-seven in 39 minutes in Game 1, Harden is minus-27 over the past two games that have both been losses by the Clippers.
Westbrook scored one point on 0-of-7 shooting in 19 minutes. He was assessed a flagrant-1 foul in the second quarter for hitting Josh Green in the head with his forearm while trying to prevent a layup.
Bally Sports Southwest @BallySportsSWRussell Westbrook has been charged with a flagrant foul on Josh Green. <a href="">#MFFL</a> | <a href="">@dallasmavs</a> on <a href="">@BallySports</a> 📺 <a href="">
Midway through the fourth quarter, Westbrook was ejected for receiving a double-technical foul for wrapping up Luka Dončić, followed by shoving P.J. Washington. Washington was ejected on the same play for receiving his second technical foul.
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynoldsPer SportRadar, Russell Westbrook had the first 1-flagrant, 2-technical, 1-point-or-less game in the NBA since Kendrick Perkins in 2005.
As all of this was happening, Leonard has been a non-factor since returning. He scored 15 points in Game 2 on 7-of-17 shooting (0-of-5 from three-point range) in 35 minutes.
Even though Leonard was available for Game 3, he was only on the floor for 25 minutes and scored just nine points. He said afterward that his limited minutes was part of the team's plan because his knee "didn't respond the way" they hoped after Game 2.
Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahonKawhi Leonard said his right knee "just didn't respond the way we wanted it to after the first game, but we're going to get it right." The plan was for him to play limited minutes tonight.
George also didn't make much of an impact on Friday night. The nine-time All-Star scored seven points on 3-of-11 shooting.
The Clippers have scored a total of 183 points in the last two games after dropping 109 in Game 1. They will look to avoid falling in a 3-1 series hole to the Mavericks in Game 4 on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
