Indiana Pacers: What Is Paul George’s Ceiling And Can He Become MVP?
Paul George is averaging a team-best 19.4 points per game in the 2013 NBA playoffs. (Photo Credit: IsoSports, Flickr.com)
For good reason, it is now common to mention Paul George in conversations about the best players currently in the NBA. Whether that means top five, 10 or 20 is certainly up for debate, but the point is that the third-year forward is unquestionably a rising star.
Since being drafted 10th overall in 2010 by the Indiana Pacers, the 6’8″ George has built a resume of personal achievements and contributed to the success of a winning program.
George’s per-game statistics demonstrate how quickly he has developed.
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/28/2013.
With the exception of field-goal percentages, George’s production has increased across the board from year-to-year and his accomplishments have drawn some recognition.
The Fresno State product was named to the 2010-11 All-Rookie second team, earned a spot on the NBA All-Defensive second team in 2012-13, the All-NBA third team in 2012-13 and topped it off by winning the 2012-13 Most Improved Player award. He was also selected by the league’s 30 head coaches to appear as a reserve in the All-Star game this season.
George has also enjoyed team success, with the Pacers advancing to the playoffs in three straight seasons–a first-round exit, followed by a second-round exit and now their current appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Win shares–which are an estimate of the number of wins contributed by a player–provide a glimpse at the impact that George had on his team’s 49 victories in 2012-13.
George Hill helped the Pacers to a first-place finish in the Central Division in 2012-13. (Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule)
At 9.7 win shares, George Hill had the highest total, David West had 9.1, and George was third-best with nine. The other members of the starting lineup, Roy Hibbert (6.1) and Lance Stephenson (5.5), placed fourth and fifth on the team in this category respectively.
The 23-year-old George has already pushed his ceiling higher than it was at the end of the regular season. He set the tone early by recording a triple-double (23 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists) in Game 1 of the first round versus the Atlanta Hawks and has flirted with a triple-double on five other occasions in the 2013 playoffs.
George has also stepped up with big baskets like this one that forced overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the overtime period, George knocked down three free throws to put the Pacers up by one, only to watch LeBron James blow by him for the winning layup at the buzzer.
As it stands now, James is in everyone’s way of winning the MVP anytime soon. The award has gone to the Miami Heat superstar four of the past five years, with Derrick Rose grabbing hold of the honor in 2010-11.
This year, James received 120 of a possible 121 first-place votes for the MVP. The remaining first-place nod went to Carmelo Anthony.
George’s name is nowhere to be found in the list of 15 players who received consideration for the award by sportswriters in the United States and Canada. However, that is not to say that George was slighted, as the same members of the media voted him as the Most Improved Player.
In the coming years, George may have a tough time setting himself apart from the likes of James and Anthony, as well as Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, and Tony Parker.
LeBron James has shown no signs of slowing down. (Photo Credit: Keith Allison, Flickr.com)
But, having said that, name recognition will not be a problem for George going forward.
He has established himself as a not only a top-tier player at both ends of the floor, but also one that is willing to step up and take shots when the game is on the line–a key attribute of star players that cannot be taught.
In the case of George, it is too early to talk about what he needs to do in 2013-14, which is a good thing.
The Pacers, far from being a one-man show, are attempting to upset the Heat to earn a trip to the NBA Finals and they have a legitimate shot–especially after knotting the series at two games apiece with a 99-92 victory at home on Tuesday, May 28.
How the Pacers fare in this series will go a long way to determining if there is another level to the play of George, who we already know is pretty darn good.