When the Boston Celtics acquired Paul George, Jordan Walsh quickly reached out to his new teammate.
The fourth-year wing is working to evolve offensively. One aspect of Walsh's game he sought the nine-time All-Star's counsel on was his pull-up jumper. However, the 22-year-old defensive menace is also learning from the four-time All-Defensive team selection at that end.
"Yeah, we talk about offense a lot, getting to your shot, being confident with it. But there's certain closeout techniques and steal techniques that he does [that] I'm trying to figure out as well," said Walsh on Thursday at the Auerbach Center. "Using that in games as well has been helpful."
How is Paul George helping Sam Hauser?
When a 16-year veteran, now in his 17th NBA season, joins your team, there's one subject in particular you want to pick his brain about. What's even more impressive is the level George is still playing at -- especially after the traumatic leg injury he suffered with the Indiana Pacers.
It adds to players like Hauser's eagerness to learn keys to longevity from someone nearing his second decade in the Association. Early on, that was a focus of their conversations.
Since then, George has been helping the veteran sharpshooter become an even better two-way player. The six-foot-seven forward is an underrated defender. He moves his feet well and uses his chest to absorb contact without yielding separation. He's also excellent at defending without fouling. Hauser's ability to stay in position to contest shots without sending opponents to the free-throw line is a talent.
Now, George is helping him be even more disruptive on defense.
"Watching him from afar and how he gets steals, how his body positioning, angles, and all that has been pretty impressive to watch," said Hauser on Thursday. "Now and then it's like, 'Hey, what do you see on this? What can I do to help you on this?' Kind of deferring to him."
Paul George is as good as advertised defensively
He's not just offering pearls of wisdom. The former steals champion remains a defensive playmaker.
Using his length, instincts, and athleticism, George is averaging 6.0 deflections per game. That's the second most in the league. Atlanta Hawks defensive dynamo Dyson Daniels is deflecting 6.2 passes per contest.
The Celtics' newest wing is swiping 2.3 steals per tilt. That's tied for the sixth most in the NBA. He is contesting 3.8 shots from behind the arc per matchup. That's tied for the fifth most, per NBA.com.
Stop percentage accounts for steals, offensive fouls drawn, and blocks recovered by the defense out of 100 possessions. According to databallr.com, he has a 3.9 stop percentage. That's in the 88th percentile. He's even making his presence felt on the defensive glass. The six-foot-eight forward has a 17.4 percent defensive rebound percentage. That ranks in the 93rd percentile.
George is helping the Celtics become more disruptive defensively. That combination of stops and transition opportunities could be a difference-maker for Boston in the playoffs.
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