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Paul George · Unbothered, even after observing the Dallas Mavericks scratch and claw their way back from a 31-point hole, Paul George decided to sharpen his own focus and deliver the nail in the game’s coffin. Suddenly behind by one point on the scoreboard, on a verge of a colossal collapse, and blanketed along the right corner with Derrick Jones Jr. mirroring his every move, the nine-time All-Star catalogs through his endless array of moves before settling on a between-the-leg dribble and a space-creating stepback. Falling away and in need of a powerful jump, George elevates, cashing in on an off-balanced, cold-blooded bucket, gifting the L.A. Clippers a lead they would preserve over the game’s final two minutes. Prescribing the Mavericks with a dose of déjà vu from a similarly-located shot from two seasons prior, George’s tough-shot making again trumped all defensive efforts in the series-tying, Game Four road win on April 28, 2024. Strengthened by a 26-point first half, George would conclude his memorable night with 33 points, six rebounds, eight assists, four steals, and seven triples — postseason history’s first player to hit those marks — along with one rejection, and a climb to No. 14 on the all-time 3-point playoff leaderboard. · State of Mint