Paul George was named to the All-Star Game on Thursday night, his fourth appearance overall and second since his leg injury.
Paul George is once again an All-Star after being named as a reserve on Thursday night.
This is his second time on the All-Star team since his leg injury three seasons ago and his fourth overall.
His numbers are slightly down in comparison to last season, but 22.2 points, 6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists aren’t too shabby. He is shooting 45% from the field, 38.8% from 3-point range so far this season.
Paul George ranks 21st in points per a game this season and leads the NBA in free throw percentage at 92.6% going into Thursday night.
EJ, @SHAQ, @TheJetOnTNT & Chuck weigh in on the #NBAAllStar Eastern Conference Reserves! pic.twitter.com/DGfKwDpzGR
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 27, 2017
There is some debate over whether this is a down season for George. While his raw production has slipped, he is more efficient than he was a season ago. Last season his eFG% at 49.7%, but has risen to 51.9% this season. He doesn’t have to do as much with Jeff Teague and Myles Turner sharing the court with him.
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That isn’t to say there aren’t weaknesses this season for him. He is too reliant on mid-range shots for scoring, leading to a drop (6.5 to 4.8) in free throw attempts. His defense hasn’t been as ferocious as it was in the past, but with all the issues on that side for the Pacers, that’s a little easier to dismiss.
The argument comes down to form versus class. Paul George’s form is down this season as he isn’t doing as much as he is capable of, but we expect more because we know he is one of the NBA’s top 25 players.
Call it a legacy vote, but Paul George earned his reputation as one of the NBA’s best.
@Yg_Trece now with four All-Star team selections. Two behind @jermaineoneal and one behind @ReggieMillerTNT. And four ahead of most of us.
— Mark Montieth (@MarkMontieth) January 27, 2017
In last season’s All-Star game, George scored 41 points, shooting 16 of 26 from the field and 9 of 19 from 3-point range, but Russell Westbrook was named the game’s MVP.
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Paul George won’t be the only Indiana Pacers player there, as Glenn Robinson III is in the Slam Dunk Contest and Myles Turner will take part in the Rising Stars Challenge.