Paul George says Wizards game is a 'must-win'

The shorthanded Clippers are playing with a sense of urgency

The LA Clippers aren't looking too hot right now. 

The team has lost two games in a row, and three out of the last four games. Not only that, but they've suddenly lost Marcus Morris with a concussion and Kawhi Leonard with a back spasm injury. Because of that, Paul George knows the upcoming game against the Washington Wizards is important.

"We've got one more game down the stretch going into the break," George said. "It's a must-win for us. We want to go into the break with a win. We want to go into the break with something positive."

So far, the Clippers are 1-3 on their current road trip. They beat the Memphis Grizzlies, but their losses were far more alarming. They lost to the Grizzlies by 30 points, lost to the Bucks because of horrific clutch time decision making, and lost to the Celtics because of more horrific clutch time decision making. Their clutch net rating continues to be one of the worst in the NBA, and they've lost every single close game when they're playing from behind.

Fortunately for the Clippers, regular season clutch net rating isn't a stat that's definitive for playoff success. To put some perspective, here are some clutch net ratings from last season: Clippers were 9th, Rockets were 3rd, Lakers were 11th, and Heat were 24th. The playoffs are a completely different game, and one can only hope the Clippers get it together by then.

The Clippers face the Wizards on Thursday at 4:00 PM PST. If they don't win this game, it'll be the first three-game losing streak of the season for them. Typically, they do well in this situation. However, they will be shorthanded, and it will be a game of revenge for the Wizards.