Hoops Habit
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NBA Player Power Rankings: Kevin Durant Surpassing LeBron?

By Maxwell Ogden

Dec 17, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) is defended by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) is defended by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 1, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) dribbles the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Cavaliers won 111-106 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) dribbles the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Cavaliers won 111-106 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

15. Paul George, Indiana Pacers

Last Rank: No. 13

Position: Forward

Age: 25

Slash Line: .407/.379/.854

Season Averages: 35.5 MPG, 23.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.0 SPG, 2.7 3PM

It’s becoming more and more difficult to write this slide. Paul George’s season averages are impossible to ignore, but there’s not much about him that’s been worthy of a Top 15 spot since November ended.

Since December 1, George is shooting 38.0 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from beyond the arc.

It’s bigger than shooting percentages, but George has been overwhelmingly erratic. That could be chalked up to the fact that he’s in his first season back from a well-documented leg injury, but excuses aren’t relevant at this stage of the season.

Indiana needs George to take its postseason dreams and turn them into reality, but the prospects of that transpiring are being damaged by every poor performance.

George showed signs of development as a facilitator this past week, but he also shot 33.3 percent or worse in three of four outings. Indiana somehow managed to win three of four, and lost his only efficient shooting performance, but George’s downward trend cannot continue.

If the Pacers are to break through and make a run at a higher seed, George needs to find some form of a rhythm.

Next: The All-Star Snub