Just How He WANTS IT...

Check out this play. Paul George comes out to the three point line and then signals for the pass to go to Zubac. PG then immediately cuts and gets the ball on the handoff with an open lane to the rim. Nice defensive rotation here but there’s no chance that PG can be stopped once he takes flight. So let me go deeper and explain how the Clippers extended their win streak to 6 in a row, and what that could mean for the playoffs. What up everybody my name is Stefan and this is Heat Check. Let’s get into it. Watch the spin here to get free, and moments later on the drive, the beautiful euro step to split the defense and finish. And again, moving without the ball to shake off the defender, gets it on the wing and splashes the jumpshot. Check out the barrage of jump shots that George hit on his way to 36 points on phenomenal shooting along with 7 rebounds and 8 assists. All that without Kawhi Leonard for this game as the Clippers were able to hold off Indiana. Thing is it wasn’t just the shot making. PG is letting the game come to him. Drawing defenders on the drive, then finding the cutter and dishing a no look pass for the lay in. Or surveying the floor and finding the open shooter in the corner for the three point shot. Even taking advantage of the matchups and executing a tight pick and roll with Zubac right here. Great roll by Ivica, timely lob pass, and the dunk. The matchups were such that both Zubac and Marcus Morris had opportunities to score in the absence of Miles Turner under the basket. So there were multiple occasions where Morris would just back his way down to his favorite spot, turn around and raise up for the shot and the Pacers were unable to stop him. But all of this is just a part of a bigger story. The Clippers are getting into a nice groove just before the playoffs. I mean they have been solid throughout the entire season, but for the last 15 games which is quite a big portion btw they’ve been on fire. A record of 12-3, and shooting lights out 49.8% from the field, and 43% from downtown, being the absolute best in the NBA in both categories. Right now they’re in a phenomenal rhythm, peaking just at the right time for the playoffs. And all of this while staying under the radar. For the entire season at that. They’ve been solid and playing at a great pace since the start, but unlike last year, now nobody is talking about this team. Remember how all of last year the talk was Clippers or Lakers, Lebron and AD vs Kawhi and PG. The battle of LA. But all of that hype disappeared with a single playoff exit that they had, albeit a debacle of epic proportions, losing a 3-1 lead. However if you ask me, this is exactly how they want it to be. Kawhi is a man of few words anyways, and PG had some struggles with all the pressure and the talk surrounding him and the team. So right now he’s ballin 'out. Postgame, PG mentioned having some conversations with Dwyane Wade about taking his game to a new level and how that has helped him this season. PG INTERVIEW So yeah, in my opinion nothing has changed from last year. We still need to view them as top candidates for the championship. The roster got better in my opinion, and although they’re missing Ibaka and Beverley at the moment, they will be back for the playoffs, and of course Rondo got there at the trade deadline as well. And with the Lakers struggling right now with injuries, anything can happen come playoff time. But one thing is for sure, this time the Clippers are much hungrier and that makes them much more dangerous. Let me know what you think and how far they can get in the post season. That’s it for now, subscribe and talk to you in the next one. Peace out.