LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 17, 2020

Paul George

Postgame Press Conference

Clippers 118, Mavericks 110

THE MODERATOR: Questions for P.G.

Q. Your impressions on Luka putting up 42 tonight? What were your impressions on defense? Doc talked about defensive lapses. Anything in particular he was doing?

PAUL GEORGE: I think we just got to continue to just tighten up screws. Give credit where credit was due. He played great tonight. But we got to tighten up some things to make it tougher.

I thought as good as he played tonight, we could have limited some of the stuff. That's what we got to work on.

Q. We heard you say 'hey mom, hey dad' there at the end of the game. This was supposed to be your moment where you're playing for hometown crowds. Now that you're doing it away, how do you use that hometown support to drive you, push you through these games?

PAUL GEORGE: Well, this is something unique for me. It's been unique since I day I came to L.A. I get a chance to play at home. I get a chance to win one back at home. It's always been a real mindset, a piece of the motivation, is having that opportunity.

Every time away from it, I get a chance to say hello to my parents, acknowledge my parents, send love to my parents, I will do it.

Q. You and Kawhi obviously decided to come to L.A. to team up and play and come home to L.A. Obviously you didn't get to play this Playoff game at home. What was your first Playoff game like with Kawhi?

PAUL GEORGE: It was great. It was great. I think we both picked each other up. We both helped each other. Kawhi, there's a reason he's been who he is in this league. He's an unbelievable leader. He picked us up on occasions.

I've been the guy. I've been the guy on teams I've been on, been co-being the guy on teams I've been on. I know how it is. I know how it is.

I don't ever want to have him believe that the pressure is all on him. I want to be able to uplift him, help him, and vice versa.

Q. Your first impressions of Marcus today?

PAUL GEORGE: Marcus was great. Marcus was great. Marcus did a little bit of everything. I said it from day one, him becoming a Clipper was one of the biggest pickups that we've had. Him and Reggie. It just adds so much value to this team.

But the way Marcus played tonight, being able to switch on both defenders, being able to score rebounding, he just did a little bit of everything for us.

Q. Are you feeling all right after this one? Any shoulder issues? What did you make of Trez's effort and energy?

PAUL GEORGE: It's good. I'm good. It's just maintenance. I'm great. This is not the same situation as last year. Icing the shoulder.

But I thought it was great to have Trez here. His energy was felt. His presence was missed. I thought he looked good for his first game in, I don't know, two, three weeks. He came together. It was like he's been with us for that time that he was gone. He just came in and kept rolling. Shout out Trez.

Q. You have shown the ability to win multiple ways. What does it say about this team that you're able to win in so many different ways?

PAUL GEORGE: I think we just take pride in that word. That's what it comes down to. We got a team that's willing to do everything and anything. You go down the list, everybody is all in.

We put a huge emphasis on that word 'win' and pride ourselves on that word.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.