NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CLIPPERS VS. SUNS

June 26, 2021

Paul George

LA Clippers

Game 4: Postgame

Phoenix Suns 84, Los Angeles Clippers 80

Q. The margin is so slim, all those opportunities, knowing that it's that close, does that leave you deflated or hopeful?

PAUL GEORGE: Yeah, we're definitely hopeful. Definitely positive. I mean, this series could be very different with a handful of plays that we could take back and different outcome on some of these plays. Tonight was a tough one. We had an opportunity to take the lead for a couple possessions. We just had a hard time putting the basket in the hole. That’s honestly the game. We played great defense. Just had a hard time scoring tonight.

Q. What was that like when it was like 71-70 for the longest time, both teams missing shot after shot after shot. You ever been through anything like that?

PAUL GEORGE: Yeah, I mean, over the years, there's nights like that. You just try to play through it. You just try to get a breakthrough. You try to bring energy. You try to play a little faster. It's just tough. We couldn't get the ball to go down in that stretch, and really for the whole night.

Q. You've had to overcome 2-0 deficits, staved off elimination in Dallas. What's this like down 3-1? Ty said it's very doable because you won four straight against Utah?

PAUL GEORGE: Yeah, it's going to be hard. It's going to be tough. But it's got to be one game at a time. It's win-or-go-home. So Game 5 is a must-win. That's just what it has to be. Our mindset has to be do whatever it takes and play as hard as we can. We've got to win Game 5.

Q. We talked a lot about your minutes, so do you feel like you're at your freshest when the game starts and how can you get off to better starts after what happened tonight?

PAUL GEORGE: I think just try to find rhythm inside closer to the basket. You know, try to get a game plan, just to get Ayton to step up by taking a couple long ones. Just to put it on their mind to try to get Ayton to come up so I can play down in the paint a little bit. Tonight, I couldn't get it to go. You know, it's just what it is. I feel good. Not going to let that be an excuse or have something to fall back on. I feel good. When I'm out there, I feel good.

Q. How much is Kawhi giving you guys right now and is there any chance he can try to get out there again, elimination game? What can he give you right now?

PAUL GEORGE: I'm not sure. I can't speak for him, to the health of Kawhi. If he's not a hundred, we don't want him out there. I mean, that's just as a brother, as a teammate, his health long-term is more important than what's going on now. I can't speak on the extent of his injury or you know what he and cannot give us. Like I've been saying, his health is just more important than anything else.

Q. How difficult is it with how the game played out at the end with the free throws to brush that off?

PAUL GEORGE: With what, tonight.

Q. Ya, how still is it to move on from a loss?

PAUL GEORGE: I mean, you've got to. You've got to. It's the playoffs. You've got to move on. It's a series so you've got to move on to the next one. Regardless, tonight's game is over with. It's on to the next one. I mean, as a veteran, you just learn not to let games weigh on you. I've had great practice of doing that. Still live a wonderful life. Still have an amazing family. On top of the world regardless of the outcome. Just move on and get ready for the next game.

Q. Can you build off tonight’s the third quarter success?

PAUL GEORGE: Yeah, I mean, we got stops and we just played faster. That was really what we did. We didn't allow them to set up. We were pushing the ball and we were just in attack mode. I thought we just played faster. Our pace was fast. That was really the breakthrough to get back into the game, we had to play a lot harder and play faster.

Q. Is that more an emphasis considering all the mileage?

PAUL GEORGE: It's tough as a team. You know, especially it's such an emphasis to get the possession finished, playing hard defense. Then you have to go and finish the possession. When you're crashed it's tough to box out Ayton.

So when you secure the ball, it's like, you know, that's when you get your breather. So over a game, it's tough to kind of keep going when your main focus is just securing that possession.