8p9s Roundtable: How Good Does Paul George Look So Far?

On a scale of Troy Murphy to Peak Paul George, how would you rate his defense so far?

Medworth: He looks a little slow right now, but he has gotten his hands on a ton of passes already. He just has a defensive instinct that you don’t see in a lot of guys, plus his wingspan helps. Seeing him grab rebounds and get his hands in the passing lane has been reassuring.

Ochoa: Another extremely large scale to work with here. Right now, I think Paul George’s D is on the same level as Gordon Hayward. Again, he can make the basic plays. He’s not getting torched on every possession, but I wouldn’t want him to guard LeBron James right now.

Lukach: Out-of-shape Paul George. We knew that if George was healthy, the defense would be there, and that has pretty much held up. Obviously his workload on defense is not yet up to his All-NBA standards, but he’s already performed in spurts. Early in his return against Miami, his hands were hyperactive in picking up a couple steals, then later, he shut down Dwyane Wade, man-up, early in the fourth.

Bishop: No good comparison here due PG’s rare physical attributes. He’s a recovering superstar trying to work his way back. The instinct and length to disrupt passing lanes was there against the Heat. He’s naturally going to be a bit slow fighting and slipping around screens. Let’s give him time here.

Washburn: 1996 Derrick McKey. McKey was Indiana’s defensive stopper for years, and his versatility enabled the Pacers to throw him at a variety of different players. He was never as good as Peak Paul George, but he was one of the best defenders in the league, and I think PG has already gotten to that point. George still looks a little awkward on close outs and stamina is probably effecting him a little bit as well, but he’s already been able to lock down elite players in one-on-one situations and will only improve as the year concludes.

Next: Starter or Reserve?