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Paul George Praises Rajon Rondo, Says Clippers PG Will 'Hold Us Accountable'
April 4, 2021
Rajon Rondo made his Los Angeles Clippers debut on Sunday, and his new teammate Paul George has already determined the role that the veteran will play on the team.
"I look at him as a leader in this group...he holds a lot of weight," George said, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "He'll hold us accountable. That is what you need, somebody who says what needs to be said."
Rondo scored two points with three assists, two steals and a rebound in 13 minutes off the bench on Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers, the team he won a championship with last season.
Rondo, who was acquired by the Clippers in a trade deadline day deal that sent Lou Williams to the Atlanta Hawks, told ESPN's Rachel Nichols that he had high expectations for his new team moving forward.
The four-time All-Defensive team selection's debut with the Clippers was delayed as he recovered from an adductor injury, but he is now seeking his third NBA championship and second in as many seasons, having also won the title with the Boston Celtics in 2008. He was a four-time All-Star with the Celtics from 2009 to '13.
After his Lakers championship, he joined the Hawks in free agency. The 35-year-old averaged 3.9 points and 3.5 assists through 27 outings with Atlanta, where he primarily served as a backup to star Trae Young.
George outlined exactly how Rondo can be used to push the Clippers toward the finish line:
The 33-18 Clippers hold the third seed in the Western Conference as of Sunday evening, six games behind the leading Utah Jazz and two-and-a-half behind the Phoenix Suns.