No one has ever questioned Paul George’s defense. He has earned multiple top-five finishes for Defensive Player of the Year and four All-Defense team selections, as well as leading the league in steals. But those accolades all came a long time ago, and while we’ve seen him ramp up in recent years, as he did in the playoffs against the Celtics last season, it has hardly been consistent.
When he was traded to the Celtics, there was definitely some hope that he could boost the defense, and with his IQ, he could be an impactful team defender. But I’m not sure anyone saw this resurgence coming.
It’s still very early in the season, but so far, George is averaging 6.9 deflections per 75 possessions, which is second best in the entire NBA, putting him in the mix with pure defensive specialists, trailing only Dyson Daniels from the Hawks, and holding a slight edge over Matisse Thybulle, Kris Dunn, and Ausar Thompson.
Those are players known almost exclusively for their defense and play very specific roles, almost like designated hitters, exerting all of their energy in short bursts on defense while largely standing in the corner on offense, or playing a minimal role. They’re also mostly younger players who are relatively in their primes.
But PG is defying the odds, as he doesn’t fit the mold at all for the list he finds himself on. He’s 36 years old and in his 17th season. His last All-Defense appearance was eight years ago. Furthermore, he’s still playing a major role on offense and is putting up 20.7 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists per game this season.
36-year-old PG still defending at an elite level
It has been absolutely wild to see George bring it at such a high level on both ends. And while he sat out in Houston for the second night of a back-to-back, for the most part, he has been doing it on a nightly basis.
Again, it’s still very early in a long season, but the early returns on George couldn’t possibly be better. He has been a dream fit on both sides of the floor, and if he can keep this up, or even something close to this, he’s going to be a key part of the Celtics and their pursuit of postseason success.
Beyond that, he’s off to such a good start that there’s reason to dream of a future beyond this season. He has a player option for next year, but has already expressed nothing but positive sentiments about Boston, the Celtics’ organization, and a desire to stay with the team for the rest of his career.
If he can keep playing at this level, the Celtics would be thrilled to make that a reality, and don’t be surprised at all to start hearing talks about an extension that would actually allow PG to finish his career in Boston and chase an elusive championship.
Add us as a preferred source on Google