On the Clippers' first offensive possession of Game 5 against the Mavericks, Paul George came off a screen, caught a pass from Kawhi Leonard and went to work. He created separation and confidently shot a jumper.
Nothing but the bottom of the net.
.@Yg_Trece got it goin' early. pic.twitter.com/JVvu6qgnDN
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) August 26, 2020
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That swish seemed to serve as a massive exhale for George, who heard the jokes about going from "Playoff P" to "Pandemic P" after scoring 34 points on 10-of-47 shooting from the field (21.2 percent) in the previous three games of this series. He eclipsed that total in just 25 minutes of work Tuesday night, scoring a team-high 35 points in the Clippers' 154-111 victory.
George's return to form wasn't just about seeing the ball go in the basket, though. In his postgame interview with TNT's Jared Greenberg, George admitted he had been in a "dark place" mentally and emotionally. He later said he spoke with the team psychiatrist and felt more like himself prior to Game 5.
"I really wasn't here. I checked out," George told Greenberg. "These past couple games, it was just difficult. Shoutout to the people that stood behind me, that was in my corner, the positivity, my teammates, my family, friends, everybody. Thank (you to) everybody that reached out to me. I was just in a bad place.
"I found my way. I'm back. I look forward to the rest of this run."
“The bubble got the best of me… Shout out to everyone who stood behind me."
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 26, 2020
Paul George on his start to the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/eleprREKT9
There was a concerted effort by the Clippers to get George rolling early. The six-time All-Star had 18 points in the first half on 8-of-12 shooting, and he scored at every level: in the paint, from the midrange and beyond the 3-point line. He helped Los Angeles build a 24-point lead heading into the locker room and, unlike Game 4, the Clippers never allowed the Mavericks to close the gap as they cruised to a 3-2 series lead.
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"I thought we created the energy," George said. "I came in with that mindset that this is Staples (Center). We're at home. The place is packed. I really had to psych myself out to get up. But I thought the whole team took that, and we ran with it."
The Clippers set a few franchise records in the win, including most points in a playoff game (154), most field goals in a playoff game (53) and most 3-pointers in a playoff game (22). Leonard had an efficient 32 points. Montrezl Harrell provided incredible energy off the bench. The team defense on Luka Doncic was much improved. Everything clicked, and Los Angeles showed why it has been considered a true title contender throughout the 2019-20 season.
But the biggest development was George rediscovering himself. This version of PG-13 — both the player and the person — is what the Clippers will need in order to win a championship.
As George learned, the NBA's "bubble" environment is far from normal. The threat of the novel coronavirus, the ongoing fight for racial equality, the intensity of the playoffs — it can be easy for players to lose sight of the importance of mental health. It really shouldn't be a surprise that even one of the league's top stars failed initially to adjust under these circumstances.
Now, after taking a huge step in the right direction, the key for George is staying on this path. The Clippers don't need him to be anything other than himself.
