Not many people expected them to but the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns in Game 1 of the opening round of the playoffs on Sunday night.
The Suns had all their big stars – Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and others – but they still lost.
They were taken down even though the Clippers are without Paul George, who will likely sit out all of the first round with an injury.
Who can pick up the slack without George on board?
Shams Charania believes Eric Gordon is the man for the job.
“Eric Gordon is a guy that everyone around the league can trust, including Ty Lue,” Charania said on FanDuel TV Monday morning.
“Eric Gordon is a guy that everyone around the league can trust, including Ty Lue”@ShamsCharania gives a shout-out to Eric Gordon starting with no Paul George, most likely for the rest of this series 🗣️#RunItBack #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/N81LGjyLBV
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) April 17, 2023
Charania noted that Gordon was solid with 19 points as a starter in Sunday’s game.
He is showing that he is the sort of athlete who can produce for the Clippers even though George is out of commission in the near future.
Gordon came to the Clippers just a few months ago, traded in February in hopes of bolstering the Clippers’ backcourt.
He was stuck in playoff purgatory playing for the Houston Rockets for years.
Now that he is playing for an actual playoff contender, Gordon is able to shine brighter and do more for his team.
Is it enough for Ty Lue to make him the official starting guard in the days and possibly weeks ahead?
The team is eager to get George back.
But until he is healthy, they need to score as many wins as possible.
Their defeat of the Suns was a huge deal and a sign that they could still succeed without George.
You can bet they want that same sort of success later this week.
Don’t be surprised if you see Gordon on the court much more often.
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Fans React As Skip Bayless Calls Out Russell Westbrook
