BY: LEO LUNGAY BATO – SPORTS ON AIR USA CORRESPONDENT
LOS ANGELES — Paul George still got it and PG-13 got his team’s back.
George poured 39 points, including 23 in the fourth quarter where the Clippers went on a 34-20 run, to help Los Angeles outlast Cleveland, 120-118 at the Crypto.com Arena.
This wasn’t just the run-of-the-mill comeback. The road back to a 26-point deficit is the largest hole the Clippers had to climb out of in the history of their franchise.
“These situations aren’t ideal, but it’s nice when posed with these challenges we come together. We really just dug down. That second half was special. Everyone was locked in defensively,” George told reporters after the tough battle.
As spectacular as George was, he couldn’t have done it alone.
James Harden had 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Terance Mann, Ivica Zubac and Norman Powell each had 14 points with Zubac pulling down 11 rebounds.
“I can’t take credit for none of it without them. Those guys hit the biggest shots of the afternoon.”
Darious Garland had 28 points 5 rebounds and 8 assists to lead Cleveland. Max Strus and Evan Mobley dropped 20 apiece but the Cavs just didn’t have enough to sustain a fast start where they scored 80 points in the first half.
“The opportunity was there for us. We just couldn’t make enough shots in the second half,” rued Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff.
The Clippers now have 50 wins for the season, a milestone they have not reached since the 2016-17 when they had 51.
“To get to 50 wins from where we started, that’s huge,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said as his team had to overcome the absence of All-Star Kawhi Leonard who was out with a knee issue.
After giving up 40 points each in the first and second quarters, the Clippers outsocred the Cavs 29-6 near the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth period.
