LOS ANGELES — Luke Kennard wore one of Kawhi Leonard’s patented “Clip Gang or Don’t Bang” hoodies to work Tuesday, scored 17 points and then cracked a smile when he noted the relevance of the attire, which features an image of Leonard, Marcus Morris Sr. and Paul George screaming in competitive exhilaration at a posterized Dallas’ Maxi Kleber in last season’s playoffs.

“Got a guy on the back, back,” Kennard said.

Also, “we did some laundry finally.”

The Clippers welcomed back George into the fold Tuesday about the only way they know how, by throwing him a big rally.

In a 121-115 victory over the Utah Jazz, Tyronn Lue’s seriously stubborn squad notched its third comeback of at least 25 points this season, which is many as the other 29 NBA teams combined – and the most by a team in the past 26 years, breaking the 2018-19 Clippers’ record of two such recoveries.

It also was the Clippers’ fourth comeback of 24 points or more, their fifth of 20 or more and their 12th successful recovery after falling behind by at least 13.

Most wins after trailing by 25+ in the 26 years of play-by-play data…
1. 2021-22 Clippers: 3
2. 2018-19 Clippers: 2
3. 53 teams: 1

Most wins after trailing by 20+…
1. 2021-22 Clippers: 5
2. 2019-20 Kings: 4
3. 10 teams: 3

— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) March 30, 2022

Their frequent high-wire act makes for tantalizing drama, but it’s not how the Clippers draw it up.

“When a team plays harder than us, it shows,” said George, who was a spectator for the Clippers’ first three 24-points-plus rallies, all of which came after he was ruled out on Christmas with a torn ulnar  collateral ligament in his right elbow.

“We get ourselves in a hole and it’s just across the board: We don’t shoot the ball well, we don’t defend well, we don’t rebound well, we’re late on 50-50 balls, we’re not getting our hands on balls,” George continued, his children and fiancée watching his postgame news conference via FaceTime on his phone, which he propped up before him, making visible a well-worn case covered with Clippers’ decals.

PG is a big Clippers fan (check the stickers on his phone). pic.twitter.com/IQpenaNqSn

— Mirjam Swanson (@MirjamSwanson) March 30, 2022

“It’s just the list goes on when we don’t bring any energy and effort. But when we do, the other team looks like how we look in the first half, so the game completely changes and we give ourselves a chance. I think just the thing we gotta address is just to always come out with energy.

“I told the guys we don’t look like a playoff team right now, and so I think down the stretch, that’s what we gotta start shaping into.”

After snapping a season-long five-game losing streak, the Clippers (37-39) have six regular-season games remaining, including a back-to-back set in Chicago against the Bulls (44-32) and a game in Milwaukee against the Bucks (47-28) on Friday.

On Sunday, the Clippers will host what could be a significant game against New Orleans, which went into Wednesday 32-43 and in ninth in the Western Conference, one spot behind the Clippers for the play-in.

Before they take those tests, on Tuesday the Clippers fought through a first-quarter feeling out process as George took the court with his teammates for the first time since Dec. 22.

Defensively, he was an aggressive interruptor from the jump, recording three of the four steals he was credited with in the first six minutes.

But George needed a few plays to find his form offensively, missing all three of his shots in the opening frame, including a pair of layups.

“In the beginning, legs were a little heavy,” George said. “But after second wind and everything settled, got the jitters out, everything came back and I felt fresh, I felt really good.”

And he looked it, scoring 34 points in 31 minutes and pulling off highlight-reel plays such as the one that came with about four minutes left and the Clippers roaring back. In that instant, George saved a lob from Isaiah Hartenstein from going out of bounds and, midair, lobbed it right back to the big man for an alley-oop layup that brought the Clippers within 109-106.

THIS SEQUENCE!

@NBAonTNT | #ClipperNation https://t.co/xdA4ifSSvH pic.twitter.com/zhC1Iv7kLD

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) March 30, 2022

George credited Brian Shaw for getting up to speed, noting that the Clippers assistant coach had him doing “a ton of running, unnecessary running,” so much so that “I felt I was more of a track player than a basketball player at some points.

“But it paid off,” George added. “I trusted him and he got me prepared. There’s nothing bad I can say about the preparation.”

Nor does George – who said he’s pain-free and estimated that his elbow is about 90% of full strength – have quibbles with the advice he got from doctors.

“Honestly, right after it happened, I was on the side of just getting surgery and getting over it and getting it done now so I don’t have to go into a summer rehabbing and healing and nursing an injury,” George said.

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“But the doctor that dealt with this and saw this a lot in athletes said that this injury heals, that the ligament will attach itself back to the bone and I should be fine, just give it some time. So thankfully we went that direction. I feel good and he was right.”

CLIPPERS (37-39) at BULLS (44-32)

When: 5 p.m. Thursday

Where: United Center, Chicago

TV/Radio: Bally Sports SoCal / 570 AM