LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

June 18, 2021

Paul George

Postgame Press Conference

Los Angeles Clippers 131, Utah Jazz 119

Q. Paul, you've been a fan of Terance Mann all season and you say you were his biggest fan. Think you might have competition after tonight. State your case for why you should remain the biggest fan of Terance Mann after tonight.

PAUL GEORGE: I mean, you saw it. You saw a full complete game from a second-year player. I mean, you saw him stretch the floor. You saw him defensively. You saw him rebound. You saw him muscle his way to the basket. I mean, you just saw so many flashes of so many different things. You know, he did it in the most crucial part of the game. I think that's what's most impressive. Honestly he single-handedly willed us back through that stretch where just he just, you know, three after three to downhill attacks to defending. You know, he did it all.

Q. You talked ever since you became a Clipper about moments like this, lifting the franchise to moments it's never been. The franchise has had to wait 50 seasons and go through a lot of heartache. What was it like to take the franchise someplace it's never been before and make history?

PAUL GEORGE: It's great. This was my first time experiencing a crowd like this, and you know, since I've been a Clipper. Just the whole night was special to be able to be in this arena and to fill that playoff atmosphere in front of my hometown, my friends, my family. So many important people in my life are in this building, and so it was just a special night, a special night. You know, you felt it, the cheers, the excitement. You know, you felt the monkey off of the Clippers' back in terms of getting out of the second round.

Q. You've done everything the hard way the postseason. Was there any other way to do this than falling behind by 25 and coming back the way you did?

PAUL GEORGE: W is all that matters, whether it's pretty or it's ugly, we'll take it. Playoffs is about grit. It's about fighting. It's about whatever it takes, and time after time, I think we've shown that.

Q. Terance's rookie season, very early in the season, he would talk about how he would hang out and shoot with you and Kawhi after practice, and that's saying something for a rookie like that. Did you see something in him in the beginning that he could have a night like this?

PAUL GEORGE: Yeah, he was a sponge. The second I got here, he was a sponge.

But I got a chance to see him up close, and you know, when I was hurt with the shoulders, T-Mann was like my sparring partner. So we used to go at it. I seen the flashes from way on in the beginning. And you know, his tenacity was what I needed to get me back playing at an elite level.

But going against him was fun. We challenged each other. I hope I was able to pass some things off to him. But you know, we grew a really good relationship, the very second I got here, like I said, because I was rehabbing and he was one of the guys that was preparing me and getting me ready to come back.

I got to see him up close, so I was a fan from day one.

Q. Down 2-0 in the first round and in this round, and in response to that, you guys are 8-1. How did you guys do that? That's not easy to do in the postseason.

PAUL GEORGE: T-Lue. T-Lue. Adjustments after adjustments. You know, got to give most of the credit to him and the guys just doing whatever it takes, willing game after game, just willing these wins out and just playing with straight toughness and trusting each other. I thought the second half tonight you saw the team trusting one another, and that's the reason why we were able to close the second round out.