It’s something of an open secret at this point that the Los Angeles Clippers were a huge disappointment last year.
Although they were a trendy pick to win the title, they completely fell apart in the bubble – culminating in Doc Rivers getting his walking papers, owner Steve Ballmer wanting to trade everyone and and fire all the coaches, and a massive off-season scramble to acquire more talent.
Later it came out that forward Paul George had serious beef with Rivers, and that a lot of George’s teammates weren’t particularly fond of him.
So will history repeat itself this year? In George’s mind, the answer is no.
As far as he is concerned, he is in a much better place now that he doesn’t have to play in the NBA Bubble.
“Well I think this year it’s been easier because I have outlets,” George said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
“You know, I’m able to live a normal life. I can go home, I can see my family, I can spend time with my family, I can interact with other people outside of this team. And so that alone has just been a big difference to be back to some normalcy.
“It’s a big difference from the bubble life to where I’m at now from a headspace standpoint.”
And now that George is in a healthy head space, the rest of the league is officially on notice – the Clippers are here to win a championship in 2021.
The Bucks owner’s daughter decided to bring 2021 in with a bang by stripping all her clothes off. https://t.co/UgzhEEna4o
— Game 7 (@game7__) January 7, 2021
Earlier this year, George went in great detail explaining why he deserves more respect. An important first step will be a successful playoff run this season.
If George is ultimately successful in leading LA to a title – all his past sins will be forgotten.
Should the team flame out in the postseason once more, however – expect the George slander to come back stronger than ever.
Related: Tyronn Lue Finally Gets Honest About Clippers Tanking Accusations
Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
