Clippers' Paul George Talks Defensive Effort: 'I Want Smoke Every Minute'

Alongside Kawhi Leonard, Paul George is one of the Los Angeles Clippers' best two-way players.

That's because he never says no to guarding an opponent, no how difficult the matchup, George said on April 13 on Podcast P with Paul George.

"I want smoke every minute," George said. "I'm not going to shy away from a matchup. I'm not going to shy away from guarding the best player, regardless if I'm the first option on offense."

He added: "I train every summer under that expectation, to be ready to do everything on the court."

George once told the Indy Star in 2013 that he began his basketball career disliking one-on-one guarding in high school "because I couldn't keep the guy in front of me." Once he made it to the NBA, however, George's ability to cover the most challenging matchups in the league earned him four All-Defensive Team nominations and helped him lead the NBA with 2.2 steals per game in 2019.

George, along with Leonard, is now a crucial part of a Clippers team which has at times this season struggled with defensive efficiency—but he said that effort sometimes impacts the energy he has left to play offense.

"I'm a guy that likes to get after it, and I think fans don't really understand how tough it is on a nightly basis to prepare to play both ends, the level that it takes, it exerts a lot out of you," George said.

Despite these challenges, George said he still enjoys being a two-way player.

"I want to guard the best player," said George. "I want to make his night as tough as possible. I believe that I can do both things, and that's just how I've been wired to play this game."

George has been sidelined with a knee injury since March 21, although he was present at Clippers practice on April 12. If he misses some of the first round as expected, it is likely Los Angeles will lean more heavily on Russell Westbrook to provide defense when the series against the Phoenix Suns begins on April 16.