This may be a now or never situation for the to claim their maiden title, with a star-studded roster featuring , , and , who boast 34 All-Star selections between them. But, with George’s contract winding down, there is uncertainty looming regarding whether his future lies in Los Angeles, though believes the 33-year-old will ultimately re-sign with his hometown team, citing that he wants winning a championship to be a part of his legacy with the Clippers. The Clippers have suffered a severe drop-off in form from the team that was once close to competing with the very best teams in the Western Conference for the number one seed, just mere weeks ago. Last month alone, the squad stacked with high-profile names, including Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, had to contend with , in which they collapsed against both the , and their neighboring rivals, the . They have lost 10 games since the All-Star break, going , a stark contrast from their 17 losses in their prior 53 encounters, which was tied for the , tied with the . L.A. Clippers - 2023-24 Season Splits Category Pre All-Star Post All-Star PTS 118.3 111.3 OPP PTS 112.7 112.8 ORTG 119.7 117.1 DRTG 114.3 118.0 NRTG 5.4 -0.9 Amid these recent struggles, the Clippers’ by their own head coach, Tyronn Lue, who didn’t hold back when he suggested that the group needed to be ‘tougher’, both ‘mentally and physically’. Yes, the Clippers have dealt with some adversity, most notably losing the , Westbrook, after he sustained a , but even with him now back in the lineup, the team looks fragmented at times, despite having a 3-1 record, of their own. Now, with the post-season looming ever closer, if the Clippers are to stand a chance at chasing their maiden championship, then they will need to find a way to overcome this poor run of form – that has come at in the season – or they may face being primed for an . GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: The Clippers are 7-0 this season when Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden each score 20-plus points. Finding their star-studded form is especially important because this season could well be the last we see of the Leonard-George era, which has so far failed to yield any great success, with reports that George and the Clippers are at a , with the nine-time All-Star potentially set to hit free agency this summer should he opt out of his player option for the 2024-25 season. Medina believes that while George has yet to come to an agreement with the Clippers over a potential contract extension, the fact that he has been so vocal in outlining his intentions to re-sign with L.A., with the journalist alluding to the 33-year-old wanting to be a part of the Clippers’ new stadium unveiling next season, seems to signal that he will stand pat. “Technically, to But Paul George - 2023-24 On/Off-Court Splits Category On-Court Off-Court PTS 84.4 38.8 AST 19.0 8.2 FG% 50.7 46.7 3P% 41.2 34.2 STL 5.8 2.4 +/- 6.3 -2.2 When George is on the court,
Los Angeles have gone , having already eclipsed of 44 wins, with seven contests still remaining. This is largely as a result of his , whereby he has averaged 22.7 points, on 47.1 field goal
shooting and 41.3 percent from deep, as well as adding 5.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and a team-leading 1.6 steals per game, tied with Leonard. When George is on the court, the Clippers by, on average, 8.8 points per 100 possessions, by far the most on the roster. Conversely, when he is not out on the hardwood, this number suffers a sharp drop, with the Clippers becoming outscored by a team-high 6.3 points per 100 possessions, a total swing of 15.1 points per 100 possessions. As a result, George's impact on this team has been insurmountable, and his health and subsequent availability has been instrumental in the Clippers being able to construct a winning season. So, with three other All-Stars around the 33-year-old, one could argue that this season is perhaps the best, and maybe only, opportunity for the Clippers to mount a serious title challenge, with their championship window continuing to narrow year by year. If they were to win it this season, then George's legacy would be etched into Clippers folklore, and his ultimate goal would be achieved, but if they don't, then he has a choice to make: to stay with L.A. and try again with time rapidly winding down, or, to pack up and move on, and chase his
NBA championship dream elsewhere.