Paul George will undoubtedly be an X-factor in how the Boston Celtics do this season. After two down seasons in Philadelphia and in his mid-30s, there isn't much excitement surrounding him as he enters his first season as a Celtic. However, what we're going to see is whether George really has declined that much or if a simple change in his environment is all he needed.
The Ringer's Michael Pina believes it's the latter. One of his 26 "bold" predictions is that George will make the All-Star team (and, by extension, Jaylen Brown won't).
"George is a nine-time All-Star who, when he isn’t hurt, usually makes the All-Star team... As I write this, George is healthy, moving well, and holding a broad role for a team that should present plenty of opportunities for him to bounce back toward the scoring averages he enjoyed in Los Angeles."
This sounds kind of familiar, not gonna lie. Don't worry, no one's accusing anyone of plagiarism here (in fact, Pina's take here makes me feel validated more than anything else). In fact, we're not even going to repeat what's already been said. The point is, it's actually not that crazy to think George could bounce back.
As Jayon Tatum's right-hand man, George is going to get touches in Boston that he would not have gotten in Philadelphia. With more scoring opportunities, there's a legitimate chance his numbers could see an uptick despite his age.
Expecting him to be prime Paul George is probably pushing it. However, if he's 85-90% of prime Paul George, that's something Boston would be happy to take without question. He's already shown how much of a monster he is defensively. If the offense follows suit, who knows how good he could be?
Could that lead to an All-Star appearance? I would love to say yes, but that would mean someone else's spot would have to be vacated to make room for him. The problem is whether George is still good enough to make the All-Star team. It's who he would have to beat out to do it.
He doesn't need to make the All-Star team
Being Tatum's number two does not necessarily require making the All-Satr team for the pairing to be successful. Did you know that the first year the Jays made the NBA Finals, Brown didn't make the team? It was because of injuries (and because Fred VanVleet turned into Steph), but still. That didn't stop Boston from going all the way to the final round.
In George's case, it would be absolutely nice for him to go back to the All-Star Game, but if he has a bounce-back season and still doesn't, is anyone going to be mad? They shouldn't. All George has to prove is that he has enough juice left to be the No. 2 guy he once was for years and an excellent fit for Mazzulla Ball.
George making the All-Star team would be awesome, but let's be clear. If he makes it, it's more of a luxury than it is a necessity.
Add us as a preferred source on Google