Comments on: Discussing and Refuting The New Paul George Narrative https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/ L.A. Clippers News and Analysis Sun, 09 Aug 2020 06:19:37 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.3.20 By: mlslaw1 https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/#comment-1727 Sun, 09 Aug 2020 03:48:23 +0000 https://213hoops.com/?p=1673#comment-1727 He’s a great player. Was watching him the other day working on his inside bully ball game and was looking for a comparison. Right now I think PG is a combo of Blake Griffin (xlnt at bully ball but PG does it better) and Gallo (xlnt outside shooter but again, PG is better). PGs defensive chops just takes him to another level.

Kawhi knew what he was talking about when he engineered PG joining up here.

]]> By: Robert Flom https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/#comment-1686 Sat, 08 Aug 2020 14:57:01 +0000 https://213hoops.com/?p=1673#comment-1686 I think he actually is pretty flashy (in a good way) – his step back threes are nasty, and he can still unleash some pretty savage dunks.

]]> By: osamu6238 https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/#comment-1681 Sat, 08 Aug 2020 02:39:01 +0000 https://213hoops.com/?p=1673#comment-1681 I think PG will get due recognition in the playoffs (assuming the Clips get to at least the WCF). He was great last year and got pretty high recognition given his MVP voting ranking, but the early exit from the playoffs really hurt his stock. Then this year, he was injured and in and out of the lineup. When he did play he just wasn’t that good.

Part of it is playing along side Kawhi, where the “2nd banana” always get put into the shadows a bit. If he keeps up this level of play through the playoffs, I think people will put him back easily on the “top 10” tier. I think PG is a much more natural scorer than Kawhi, and his offensive skillset will draw a lot of attention if the Clips play deep into the playoffs. Will always be tough to crack that top 5, especially when playing along side Kawhi,

]]> By: Thretch https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/#comment-1677 Fri, 07 Aug 2020 21:45:05 +0000 https://213hoops.com/?p=1673#comment-1677 I absolutely love the PG we’re seeing these past four games. He has been a terror in the paint. As discussed on the Maverick’s game preview, he identified the weakness and exploited it. So he’s once again a multi-layered threat.

He’s not a flashy player; not the type to get on national highlight reels (like Steph or Harden) and he’s always played in smaller markets. So the media coverage of him has never been great and I think most casual NBA fans (and homers) don’t really know his talents. Well, now they will.

]]> By: Robert Flom https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/#comment-1672 Fri, 07 Aug 2020 20:22:02 +0000 https://213hoops.com/?p=1673#comment-1672 I’d probably have most of those 11 guys ahead as well, but it depends on context. Like, PG is BY FAR the best “second option” out of the last five guys (except AD) because his game is so malleable and fit to be alongside another superstar. Dame, Harden, Jokic, and Embiid are all probably better in a vacuum, but are they good enough to be the best player on a championship team? If not, PG’s ability to fit in better might actually make him more valuable than those guys (though I do think Harden in particular could lead a championship run).

I do think PG is better than Butler. Butler’s lack of shooting makes him a more difficult fit, and PG is also the more talented scorer. Butler is the better playmaker, but I give the edge to PG.

]]> By: jbugs https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/#comment-1668 Fri, 07 Aug 2020 19:18:11 +0000 https://213hoops.com/?p=1673#comment-1668 I try to stay away from the mainstream outlets and stick to niche podcasts. Broader media is a joke and almost never gets it right. They still think Kyrie is elite.

]]> By: Cole Huff https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/#comment-1666 Fri, 07 Aug 2020 19:10:36 +0000 https://213hoops.com/?p=1673#comment-1666 I agree with you in regards to how most of your list is broken down. My personal opinion is that PG belongs near the 9-12 spots of any rankings. Butler is an interesting comparison to PG. They both are great in what they do well, but I think what PG does (using him off-ball as both a spot up shooter, and as a JJ Redick mover without the ball) really unlocks more for his teams offensively.

In terms of the underrated vs. overrated debate, I lean more towards the notion that he is underrated specifically because of how the mainstream media tries to sway it the other way around. Different outlets just try to make headlines and push agendas by over-exaggerating their viewpoints, and that’s fine they have to do what gets clicks. To their credit, they are really successful in convincing the casual fan. However, I think that most basketball minds, and people who aren’t biased one way or another, would agree that PG is seen as one of the top 10 or so players in the league. So, both of our ways of thinking can be true.

As you said, hopefully he can stay healthy. It should make for an interesting couple of months.

]]> By: jbugs https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/#comment-1663 Fri, 07 Aug 2020 18:50:02 +0000 https://213hoops.com/?p=1673#comment-1663 I agree with your comments on Harden and AD. My numbers weren’t really a ranking (just counting the player I felt were better than PG). In regards to Embiid, I think you are underrating fit/surrounding cast. The Pacers team that PG took to the ECF was a really good team with a cast of players that fit really well with PG. This team had Lance Stephenson, Roy Hibbert (DPOY), David West, and (I believe) Danny Granger. All those guys were VERY good in at their respective peaks, and that year was it. I believe that team was also coach by Vogel, who is a much better coach that Brett Brown. (also it was a ton of years ago.) The current 76ers are a mess and that issue shouldn’t be conflated with Embiid’s talent. Embiid’s ceiling is much higher than PG’s (top 2 player in the league (would say 1, but Giannis is so insanely good)). He’s just in basketball hell. MVP voting is affected by these factors as well.

I also wouldn’t be so quick to take WB and Butler down a tier. These guys are both perfect foils for PG. They are similar caliber, IMO, but very different. WB is the pure opposite of PG. He is super ball dominant and not very efficient. On the flip side, he can wreak more havoc on a single game than PG and has to be more of a consideration for opposing teams than PG likely is.

]]> By: Lucas Hann https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/#comment-1662 Fri, 07 Aug 2020 18:27:47 +0000 https://213hoops.com/?p=1673#comment-1662 I think you’ve got a clear top-5 that I agree make up the top tier in the NBA, but I’m not sold that Embiid is really better than PG. PG took a team to the ECF as its best player. Embiid’s never gone further than that (and you could argue has had more talent than PG’s Indiana teams), and has never finished as high as PG in MVP voting. Embiid is just younger, so maybe there’s more hope that he reaches greater heights.

I think Harden belongs at 6, I think AD is overrated (obviously still very good), I think I’d take Dame over PG even though they’re in the same category. Luka belongs in this second tier where Westbrook, Butler, etc belong in a third.

]]> By: jbugs https://213hoops.com/discussing-and-refuting-the-new-paul-george-narrative/#comment-1661 Fri, 07 Aug 2020 18:15:10 +0000 https://213hoops.com/?p=1673#comment-1661 There definitely should be a discussion about PG, but I don’t think it’s about how he’s underrated. It might just be that he’s underdiscussed. As far as his value is concerned, I think he’s appropriately rated as a top 10-15 player. He’s in the Jimmy Butler range. Jimmy Butler is rightfully more discussed than Paul George is due to his style of play suiting him running a team. Both Jimmy and PG are in the right place for their respective styles. Jimmy is running a solid team in the East as the best player on that team, while PG is on a great team in the west with an even better player in Leonard. At the end of the day, I’d rather have PG on my team. PG’s teams have a higher ceiling than Jimmy’s. Butler can’t really add much value to a team that has a better player than he is. He doesn’t help spacing, he’s generally ball dominant, and he isn’t as good a defender as PG (without even having to get into the personalities issues). PG, however, fits great next to a ball dominant higher caliber player and b/c of this, PG has the potential to be on a championship team.

As far as PG being underrated, is he better than any of the following players (in no particular order):

1. Lebron
2. Giannis
3. Leonard
4. Steph
5. KD
6. Embiid
7. AD
8. Harden
9. Jokic
10. Lillard

IMO, he isn’t. I think he falls right in the next category with WB, Luka, Butler…etc. While some of the above guys have holes in their game (Harden is an awful defender, AD can’t play without another star), I don’t think you can argue that we are better with PG than any of those guys. So far in the bubble, PG is making a case that he should be in that tier of players, but the sample size has been too small compared to this season. Hopefully, he is just finally 100% healthy and will keep getting better with us. I’m really enjoying watching him play with Leonard over the past week. It seems like they are starting to figure this out.

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