Paul George took Josh Hart's place as the fifth cast member on the pregame and noticeably shortened halftime show when he joined the NBA Countdown team for Games 3 and 4. Because the Dallas Mavericks eliminated George and the Los Angeles Clippers in the opening round of the NBA playoffs, George is available. George averaged 19.5 points while playing in all six of the series games. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard played in just two games in the series. It was the third straight postseason where Leonard missed the end of the Clippers postseason with injury. Stephen A. Smith made a point of referencing this on NBA Countdown, saying, "Nobody on the planet knows what it's like to play without a star than Paul George."
On set, this sparked a variety of emotions. Malika Andrews and George chuckled right away, while Bob Myers and Michael Wilbon seemed a little taken aback. George hurriedly warned, "Don't do that," and Bob Myers chimed in and told Goerge, "Don't react to that." Nevertheless, Smith must not have heard him since, half an hour later, he cracked the identical joke. The team was less accommodating at that time.
Read More: Stephen A Smith Calls Out Clippers Star Kawhi Leonard: "He's The Worst Superstar In Sports"
Stephen A. Smith Throws Shade At Kahwi Leonard In Front Of His Clippers Teammate Paul George
Although everyone was smiling and the talk was lighthearted, Smith made a highly impolitic act that would have put George in a difficult situation with his co-star Kawhi. In addition, George may need to look for housing when he pursues a max contract extension with the Clippers this summer. Since his season-long absence in the 2017–18 NBA season, Kawhi has been among the most injury-prone superstars in the league. Leonard's health issues on the Clippers persisted, even after he elevated load management to the top of NBA discussions by helping Kawhi lead the Toronto Raptors to an NBA Championship.
Even if George hasn't exactly been a shining example of availability, Leonard is a player who is more prone to injuries than George. Even so, this isn't the first time Stephen A. has disparaged Kawhi. A couple of weeks ago, Stephen A Smith called out Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. "He's The Worst Superstar In Sports," Smith said of Kawhi. Overall, Stephen A. has a serious bone to pick with Leonard.
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