Thunder in the News is taking this wonderful Monday to give praise to the man of the weekend: Paul George.
That’s the Paul George we were expecting. For the first time in over a season Russell Westbrook had a viable option to replace him as the focal point of the offense. George’s 79 points in two games came on 56.8% shooting from the field and 57.9% from deep. He mercilessly attacked the rim yet ensured he involved his teammates, allowing Russ to take a step back and let the offense come to him.
That’s why we’re dedicating all of today’s Thunder in the News to Paul George.
PG is responding to a rough start of the season
Ben Golliver rightfully published a piece on Friday that highlighted the stark contrast in the Thunder offseason and its first nine games. George was cast aside as Oklahoma City’s third option, a role that took away his playmaking abilities. That’s been the big difference in the past two games. If this continues it could go a long way in determining whether or not PG stays in OKC past this season.
"Three weeks in, George has every right to wonder whether the Thunder will be able to deliver on their vision."
The OKC Thunder closed door meeting may actually have helped
And this is why we’re starting to see that change – George made it unknown that he was unhappy. The best teams, whether it’s in sports, business, or anything else that requires group work, are exemplary because they can take and handle criticism. The fact that the Thunder were able to get real with each other this quickly, and positively respond at that, is a great sign moving forward.
Paul George shedding some light on what the closed door meeting after the Denver game was about: pic.twitter.com/HnOtUIZi4j
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) November 13, 2017
This resurgence is precisely what the Thunder needed
Although I wrote this a day before Sunday night’s performance, the narrative fits perfectly. The Thunder needed Paul George to elevate his play to Russell Westbrook’s level in order to diversify Oklahoma City’s offense. Los Angeles and Dallas had no answer to the two-pronged Thunder attack. Now George needs to ensure he stays this aggressive.
"He simply played the game as if he was back in Indiana. The four-time All Star looked comfortable in an OKC offense that featured him as a playmaker on par with Westbrook."
That’s it for today’s issue of Thunder in the News. Check Thunderous Intentions for more news, opinion and analysis of your favorite team from your favorite fans.