Oklahoma City • By now, we all know about Paul George’s Game 1 exploits, the 36 points, the eight 3-pointers, the incessant trash-talking.
But, as the Jazz and Thunder prepare for Wednesday Game 2, the Jazz chose to focus on limiting George’s impact on the defensive end. And, specifically, his impact on Joe Ingles.
George took largely took Ingles out of Sunday’s Game 1, from which the Thunder emerged with a 116-108 win at Chesapeake Energy Arena. With George sticking to Ingles, it limited his ability to play pick-and-roll with Jazz center Rudy Gobert. Ingles, one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, couldn’t find clean looks at the basket.