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Daily MVP Film Breakdown: Paul George Does it All

By | Apr 05, 2021, 3:21pm

Paul George is in the midst of a hot streak in the best season of his career, and he dropped 43 points, 12 boards and 7 dimes in a win over the Kings to get everyone talking about how nobody was talking about him as an MVP candidate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV7lN-g50_A

George is a driving force for this surprising 20-10 Thunder team, averaging career highs across the board with 25.5 points, 3.3 threes, 7.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. George is exceptionally hot in his last five games, averaging 31.4 points while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 48 percent from deep.

There just isn’t a whole lot that Paul George doesn’t do well. His versatility is his greatest weapon, and he can do it all on the court. He can drive, cut, post up, rebound, assist, and shoot from anywhere. That makes him very difficult to defend.

Russell Westbrook is no longer the leading scorer for the Thunder, and he seems fine with that. He’s allowing George to create more of the offense by himself. Brodie’s usage rate was 40 percent in his triple-double MVP season, but it dropped to 33 when George arrived last year and another three percentage points this year. When you watch PG operate with the ball in his hands, it’s clear why.

George also puts that slick handle to use in the pick and roll. He can pull up from anywhere inside 28 feet, or take you all the way to the rim.

One of the areas Paul George doesn’t get enough credit is the way he passes the ball. He can break down defenses off the dribble to open up excellent opportunities for teammates, and he slings the ball with a certain zip and flair that most players do not possess.

He throws perfect passes on the move without even really looking half the time. It’s a combination of good peripheral vision and an excellent understanding of where the open man will be when he beats the defense a certain way. The pass often comes before the defender is expecting it.

Paul George is just outside the top ten scorers in the league, but he’s second only to James Harden in the last five games. He isn’t just a perfect complimentary piece to Westbrook, he’s leading the way for a Thunder team with the top-rated defense in the league and the second best defense in the West. If he keeps it up, he should be in the conversation for MVP.

Post
Tom Petrini
Daily previews of matchups to watch around the league, and film breakdowns of the best performance from the night before. Twitter @RealTomPetrini, Spurs interviews and analysis @projectspurs.

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