Los Angeles Clippers

Paul George has seen the light when it comes to Damian Lillard's range.

George got to enjoy Dame Time as a teammate during Sunday's All-Star Game, as Lillard drained a shot from a step inside half court to clinch a 170-150 victory for Team LeBron over Team Durant. The Portland Trail Blazers guard finished with 32 points on 8-of-16 shooting from deep, which is exactly what Team LeBron teammate Stephen Curry shot from three.

DAME WINS IT FOR TEAM LEBRON 🚨 https://t.co/Qx7DS6lCC8

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 8, 2021

"Well I guess I was criticized for the right reason for calling Dame's shot in the playoffs a bad shot," George said when asked about his infamous comments following their 2019 playoff series. "I mean I see this guy's range is crazy. ... It's a great shot."

I asked Paul George about the range in today's NBA.

PG: "Well I guess i was criticized for the right reason for calling Dame's shot in the playoffs a bad shot. I mean I see this guy's range is crazy."

Me: "So is that no longer a bad shot?"

PG: "It's a great shot. 2 thumbs up." pic.twitter.com/fFZhlNREvc

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 8, 2021

Lillard sent George's Oklahoma City Thunder home from the playoffs with a deep three in 2019, and George said it was a "bad shot" after that game.

Lillard's shot over George in that playoff battle capped off an emotional series that featured high-pressure moments and back-and-forths between the Trail Blazers guard and Russell Westbrook.

He famously waved toward OKC's bench after the dagger and then responded to George's comments on The Pull Up Podcast by saying, "if anything, it was bad defense."

George acknowledged the range of players like Lillard and Curry has changed the thinking about what constitutes a good and bad shot in today's NBA. No longer is the best play at winning time always attacking the basket and hoping to draw a foul or create an easy finish at the rim, especially with smaller guards who can unleash triples in the blink of an eye with the quick flick of their wrist.

The fourth quarter is almost synonymous with "Dame Time" whenever Portland is on the floor in large part because of Lillard's ability to do just that.

Lillard may have surprised George in 2019 by pulling up from so deep, but the Los Angeles Clippers swingman will at least know to expect something similar if their two teams meet up in this year's playoffs in the loaded Western Conference.

The Clippers are the No. 4 seed in the West, while the Trail Blazers are the No. 5 seed. That means they could be on a first-round collision course.

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will participate in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, and he said he was willing to accept a roster spot on another all-star team of sorts if the opportunity arose.

Leonard said he would join Team USA for the 2021 Olympics if he makes the cut.

"A lot of people were in for 2020, but just the pandemic pretty much killed everything," Leonard said Sunday, per NBC Sports. "Right now, my plan is to go." 

The Olympic team could set up a reunion for Leonard and Gregg Popovich, who coached him when he was on the San Antonio Spurs from 2011-18. 

Leonard's verbal commitment to the Olympics sets him apart from other potential candidates. LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard haven't given their decision either way when asked this season, per the NBC Sports report. 

This season's unique schedule amid the COVID-19 pandemic creates some problems for the league's biggest stars. Game 7 of the NBA Finals would be played July 22, and the Opening Ceremony for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo is scheduled for the next day.

Olympic rosters are due July 5, around the same time that USA Basketball will hold a training camp, falling in the midst of the postseason. USA Basketball filed a petition in February to postpone the roster date, but a ruling has not been made public. If the deadline doesn't change, that might force the team to invoke a late-athlete replacement rule that usually is used for injuries, per NBC Sports. 

"The scenario, as it stands right now, does seem problematic," Popovich said in December (h/t NBC Sports). "The timing does make everything difficult and will demand some real soul-searching and out-of-the-box type of thinking to put together the best team we possibly can."

Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George will miss Thursday's game against the Washington Wizards because of dizziness, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.

George has already dealt with hamstring, ankle and foot injuries this season and is always under the microscope when it comes to durability considering he underwent surgery on both shoulders before the 2019-20 campaign and appeared in just six games in 2014-15 due to a leg injury.

Still, the 30-year-old is a primary reason the Clippers are on the shortlist of title contenders.

George is a seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection and four-time All-Defensive selection who can carry the team on offense with his ability to hit from the outside or attack the basket all while anchoring the perimeter defense.

Fortunately for Los Angeles, it still has Kawhi Leonard as an elite two-way playmaker who can do all the things the Fresno State alum does at an even higher level in most instances. 

While Leonard will serve as the go-to option, look for the combination of Reggie Jackson, who will start Thursday, and Nicolas Batum to see more time as well.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. suffered a concussion on Tuesday against the Boston Celtics  at TD Garden, the team announced.

Morris was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game after posting 10 points in 15 minutes off the bench. No timeline for his return was given. 

The veteran's season got off to a slightly delayed start after he missed eight games with right knee soreness, but there's no question how important he is to the Clippers' rotation.

Morris averaged 16.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game between the Clippers and New York Knicks last season. He played 28.9 minutes per game over 19 matchups with Los Angeles after the team traded for him last February. 

Entering Tuesday, Morris was averaging 12.4 points and 3.8 rebounds through 27 games this year. 

With the Kansas alum sidelined, look for Nicolas Batum, Patrick Patterson and Luke Kennard to see their minutes increase. Head coach Tyronn Lue could also play smaller with Morris out and rely more heavily on the likes of Lou Williams, Reggie Jackson and Terance Mann to make up the loss of the 31-year-old. 

Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard was ruled out of Wednesday's game vs. the Boston Celtics with back spasms, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. 

The 29-year-old remains the centerpiece of the Clippers, averaging 26.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists this season. He's paired with Paul George and a talented supporting cast to give L.A. one of the better rosters in basketball and legitimate title hopes. 

The Clippers sit at 24-12 on the season, third in the Western Conference.

Load management has been a part of the San Diego State product's life the past several seasons, as he attempts to stay healthy for deep playoff pushes. That worked out nicely during the 2018-19 season, when a fresh Leonard led the Toronto Raptors to the first title in organization history. 

It didn't play as well during his first season with the Clippers, though, when teammates reportedly felt he received preferential treatment. 

But the Clippers have made some serious personnel and coaching changes, seeing players like Montrezl Harrell and Landry Shamet depart and former head coach Doc Rivers leave as well. In came Serge Ibaka, Nicolas Batum and Luke Kennard, while Tyronn Lue took over as head coach. 

It's title or bust for the Clippers in the Leonard-George era. There's no real replacing Leonard while he's out, though players such as Batum, Kennard and Marcus Morris Sr. should play a bigger role until he returns.

After past criticism about getting star treatment with the Los Angeles Clippers, Kawhi Leonard has reportedly taken on a different mindset in 2020-21.

"I've definitely seen a change in Kawhi's attitude. He's playing in back-to-backs, he's showing more leadership based on everything you hear," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective (36:00). "... From what I can tell and what I've been told, there's efforts being made on that end."

Though Leonard has missed some time due to injury, including a recent leg contusion, the forward has mostly stayed in the lineup this season and is averaging a career-high 34.7 minutes per game. 

This comes after reported locker room issues in 2019-20 stemming from Leonard and Paul George getting extra perks in their first year with the organization. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, teammates believed the two stars were able to pick and choose when they played, and they both had control over practice schedules.

Leonard averaged a career-high 27.1 points per game last season, but he wasn't able to help the Clippers advance beyond the second round of the playoffs.

The 29-year-old has performed well again in 2020-21, averaging 26.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists on the way to his fifth All-Star selection. It's been enough to keep the Clippers among the top contenders in the Western Conference at 24-12 with two games left before the All-Star break.

There are still questions about the squad's ability to make a deep playoff run, especially with the disappointing efforts in the clutch.

Los Angeles was held scoreless over the final four minutes of a 105-100 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks Sunday. The team also has multiple close losses to quality opponents, including two against the Brooklyn Nets.

Leonard has two NBA titles in his career, but he must find a way to get the Clippers over the top in the postseason.

The Los Angeles Clippers have mostly lived up to expectations in the first half of the 2020-21 season, but it's the rest of the year that will determine whether it has been a success.

We can get an early look at this part after the NBA revealed the second half of the schedule on Wednesday.

Los Angeles remains one of the top teams in the Western Conference with a 23-10 record. Kawhi Leonard is still among the best two-way players in the sport, while Paul George has been even better than last year with averages of 24.6 points, 5.4 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game.

New additions like Luke Kennard, Serge Ibaka and Nicolas Batum have also made seamless transitions to the rotation to provide the Clippers with plenty of depth, even after losing Montrezl Harrell to free agency.

The challenge will be keeping it up for the rest of the regular season before making a deep postseason run to make up for last year's disappointment.

Here's what you need to know about the rest of the 2020-21 campaign.

           

2020-21 Clippers Schedule Details

Second-Half Opener: Thursday, March 11 vs. Golden State Warriors

Championship Odds: +550 (via FanDuel) (bet $100 to win $550)

Second-Half Schedule: NBA.com

        

Top Matchups

Los Angeles Lakers (April 4, May 6)

No matter what the standings look like, any matchup against the Lakers is going to be a big one.

The city rivalry is always testy but things have picked up lately, with the two sides clearly not liking each other.

"There are some real feelings regarding the Clippers. It's more than just battle-for-LA stuff, though that's part of it," Jared Dudley said in his new book, Inside the NBA Bubble: A Championship Season under Quarantine (h/t Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen & Roll).

These teams faced each other just once in the first half of the year, with the Clippers earning a 116-109 win on opening night. George led all scorers with 33 points in the victory.

The Clippers do have a size disadvantage but are one of the few teams that can match up with the NBA champions thanks to the efficiency on both ends of the court.

More success against the Lakers won't just help in the standings, but it will be valuable mentally going into the postseason.

          

Denver Nuggets (April 1, May 1)

The Utah Jazz have been the better team in 2020-21, but the Denver Nuggets are likely more on the minds of Los Angeles.

Denver shocked the Clippers in the second round of the playoffs last year, overcoming a 3-0 deficit to win the seven-game series.

Nikola Jokic is more dangerous than ever, averaging 27.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game, while Jamal Murray clearly has the knack to make clutch shots late in games.

Los Angeles has to show it can lock these players down, which could be an even bigger issue with Patrick Beverley slowed by a knee injury for much of this season. Ibaka has proved valuable as a defender in the post, but can he stay with Jokic?

The Nuggets are fighting for a playoff spot, but the Clippers will know what they are capable of and won't be unprepared.

          

Second-Half Forecast

Just like last season, the Clippers have the talent to win an NBA title.

The offense has been especially impressive and is ranked third in efficiency while the 42.2 three-point shooting is the best in the NBA.

Leonard and George can take over games while opponents don't have many choices on who to leave open in this rotation. If the defense focuses for four quarters, this team can match up with anyone.

A key question mark for the second half is health, especially with an aging roster of five primary starters age 29 or older. We could see more load-management games for the stars in the second half, preventing a better finish in the Western Conference standings.

It still doesn't matter, though, as the team's only focus is success in the playoffs.

Los Angeles has had nine straight winning seasons but failed to advance beyond the Western Conference semifinals in this stretch. This could be the team that changes the recent history.

Record Prediction: 46-26

            

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Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George wasn't thrilled about watching the final two minutes and 50 seconds of his team's 112-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night from the bench.

"I was ready to go," George told reporters after the game. "I wanted to keep going."

The six-time All-Star was on a minutes restriction in his second game back from a bone edema in his right toe that kept him out more than two weeks. He played 27 minutes Friday and admitted after the game he couldn't have played 30.

After playing 33 minutes in the loss to the Nets, George said he is past his injury.

"I'm clear, I'm good to go, as of now," he said. "It's an afterthought. I'm healthy, and I feel good."

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said postgame it was a "tough decision" to keep him out. George helped the squad come back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to narrow the gap, but his teammates weren't able to close out the win.

The loss will sting, but Los Angeles is more concerned with George's long-term future.

"The biggest thing is that he's healthy," Lue added.

George finished the game 12-of-19 from the field (4-of-9 from three) for a team-high 34 points with six rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. Kawhi Leonard added 29 points and 13 rebounds, while James Harden (37 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists) and Kyrie Irving (28 points, four rebounds, eight assists) led the way for Brooklyn, who won despite missing Kevin Durant with a hamstring injury.

Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Patrick Beverley and Nicolas Batum will miss Monday night's game for the Los Angeles Clippers vs. the Miami Heat.

Kawhi Leonard (left lower leg contusion), Paul George (swollen toe) and Patrick Beverley (rest) are out tonight against Miami.

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) February 15, 2021

After he was initially ruled out with a migraine, the team later said a concussion was the reason for Batum's absence.

The 20-8 Clippers have been one of the NBA's best teams and sit third in the Western Conference.

Leonard is posting 26.7 points and 5.0 assists per game in 23 appearances, while George is averaging 24.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 20 games.

George is also shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 47.8 percent from beyond the arc. The six-time All-Star seems to be carrying a chip on his shoulder following the conclusion to the 2019-20 campaign. Los Angeles surrendered a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs as George again failed to live up to his regular-season standards.

Because of how they performed to close out last year, the Clippers have flown under the radar. The novelty of seeing George and Leonard on the court together has worn off, and fans will remain skeptical of L.A. until the team delivers when it counts.

George has missed a few games already with a sore right foot the most recent malady to take him out of the lineup. As long as he makes a quick return, the Clippers should be OK. They'll be short-handed Monday, however, without their two biggest stars and a dogged perimeter defender in Beverley.

Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will miss Sunday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers with a left lower leg contusion.

ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk reported the news.

The 29-year-old missed time earlier this season because of the NBA's health and safety protocols and after he needed stitches for a cut in his mouth he suffered during a Christmas Day game. He is also someone who has missed games for load management at times during his career.

When healthy, Leonard is on the short list of the best players in the league.

The San Diego State product is averaging 26.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game as someone who can take over a contest on the offensive side all while shutting down the opponent's best playmaker on the defensive end.

Leonard is a two-time champion with two Defensive Player of the Year awards, two NBA Finals MVPs, four All-NBA selections, six All-Defensive selections and four All-Star selections. His presence is a major reason the Clippers are expected to contend for a championship in the daunting Western Conference.

Look for Paul George to play the role of two-way game-changer if Leonard is sidelined for longer, while Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, Luke Kennard and Patrick Patterson will likely see more playing time.