OKC Thunder season preview roundtable – Q2: Paul George Expectations
T.I. counts down to the OKC Thunder 2018-19 tip via a preseason roundtable. With nine days remaining the focus shifts to Paul George expectations.
Question 2:
Three years ago Kevin Durant broke the hearts of Thunder Nation when he exited for Oakland. This past offseason Paul George surprised the masses when he quickly re-signed on a multi year deal. Entering his second full season with the OKC Thunder what are your expectations for PG13? And, is there a specific area you would earmark as needing improvement?
Lawrence George – @geola388
I made the prediction last season that PG13 would enter the illustrious 50 -40-90 club. Unfortunately, PG had a number of issues with his shooting arm which warranted a drainage procedure to relieve some pressure affecting his overall shooting numbers. This season, I can see PG entering that illustrious group of elite shooters if his shooting arm is 100% healthy. By all accounts, it seems PG is entering the year feeling like his normal self.
One area I would like to see improvements in is his turnover rate. PG is a solid ball handler but can get careless at times and lose the ball even in the absence of defensive pressure. Additionally, I would like to see him make plays for others more often. He doesn’t have to average six assists per game but perhaps breaking down the defense and receiving a hockey assist is an area of focus.
Tamberlyn Richardson – @TTOTambz
Last season I kept waiting for George to flip the proverbial switch. Certainly there were glimpses, but not the typical Paul George I witnessed terrorize the Heat and Raptors during tough playoff series. Whether it was the myriad of injuries, adapting to Anthony’s inability to defend, losing his defensive partner in crime (Dre) or adjusting to a new team and system, PG was a shadow of who he can be.
Some suggested PG is more of a laid back docile player who prefers to fade into the shadows. I strongly disagree. Rather, he’s a “team” player who thankfully won’t be saddled (nor will Russ) trying to share the ball with a player ill fitted to the Thunder system. Expect a more aggressive and comfortable PG in 2018-19. That may sound like an oxymoron, but at some point this season there will be a stretch of games where a symmetry between George and Westbrook emerges. Once it does PG13 will showcase his killer instinct and prove my point.
Gideon Lim – @GideonLim_NBA
Consistency. If we’re all honest with ourselves, PG’s no-show during the playoffs was a big reason the Thunder got dumped out of the playoffs. Especially in the few weeks leading up to the playoffs, watching PG fly around the perimeter and bomb away was majestic. We will need some more of that.
Dylan Huntzinger – @ThunderChats
My expectations for Paul George have been the same ever since he committed to the OKC Thunder on July 1st; he is going to win the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. Coming off of surgery on his shooting arm, and knee. Coming off of a disappointing finish to the season. Being disrespected by the media and fans alike saying he isn’t a top 20 guy. After a full season of fans saying he is the missing piece for the Lakers, the moment he signed with the Thunder it was because he “couldn’t handle the pressure of being a Laker”. Paul George has no shortage in ammunition for his scorched earth revenge tour, ending at the top of the NBA mountain.
Reid Belew – @UpJimbo
Because he’s here for the next 4 seasons, I anticipate he’ll enter a more joint leadership role with Russ. We have a young team, and having a clear leadership structure will help them. As far as improvement, it’s hard to nitpick PG’s game since he’s so complete. I can ask nothing more of our sweet boy.
Jordan Buckamneer – @jbuckamneer
I fully expect Paul George and the rest of the team to hit the ground running. Last season, the learning curve was brutal to say the least and the team never fully got off the ground. This year, I think everybody knows what to expect and there shouldn’t be any need for an adjustment period. There aren’t any glaring issues I see with Paul George. I just hope to see his chemistry with Russell Westbrook fully blossom. We saw times last year where both George and Westbrook were being a little too unselfish, and it felt almost like they were taking turns as to who gets to score this possession. I hope to see those awkward moments diminish and the duo really hit their stride playing as a team instead of individual superstars.
Amy Li – @realkimchiwitch
Maybe I was just being optimistic, but PG had no other option but to re-sign. Playing with Westbrook is his only chance to show he deserves All-Star status with Victor Oladipo shining on him–we need to and we will see flashes of “Playoff P”, but let’s come up with a new nickname.
Alex Roig – @AlexRoig_NTTB
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I think Paul George is in line for an MVP caliber season. Maybe 25 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and the No. 2 seed in the West. There is no question about the hierarchy of this team now. It is Westbrook and George on top, Adams at tier below, and Schroder a tier below that. There is no Carmelo Anthony to muddy up the hierarchy of the team. The one thing I think George needs to work on is limiting his turnovers. Everyone has turnovers but he had some UGLY turnovers last season. Like, high school JV type turnovers.
Austin Sternlicht – @The_Sternlicht
Read my player preview to find out #ShamelessPlug
Stephen Dolan – @SteveThunderfan
Paul George had, by all accounts the second-best season of his career last year. The expectation from OKC Thunder fans for this season should be that he has his first-best. After the shocking amount of fluid he had drained from his elbow over the off-season, and with his knee mended, there’s no reason he can’t improve. And he’s looked silky so far in the preseason.
Still, he can improve. He tends to be a little careless with the ball, and while you don’t want to tell an artist like PG to hold back, maybe just, you know, be a little more careful sometimes.
Asad Ali Jamal – @SuperCyrax98
With Paul George re-signing with the OKC Thunder as quickly as he did, he obviously felt a connection with the organization, his teammates (especially Russell Westbrook), and the city. I fully expect Paul George to become an even better fit for the team this season now that his focus is solely on the OKC Thunder. If there is one area PG13 needs to work on, it’s his ability to step up under pressure. Of course, he is already a fairly clutch player, but the Thunder need him to be THE GUY making that 3-pointer as the buzzer sounds to win the game since the western conference is stacked, which will likely lead to many close games this season.
Rylan Stiles – @Rylan_Stiles
I am expecting Paul George to be more of a vocal leader this season. Take it on himself, and realize this is also his team, not just Russell Westbrook’s. In that same light, I think he can improve on being more selfish. Realizing he is a top player in the league, and taking over games even when/if Russell Westbrook is on the floor.
Next. Thunder Season preview roundtable – Q1: Most excited about in 2018-19 season. dark
This wraps up question two from the roundtable. Question three with eight days left in the countdown examines the OKC Thunder system and expectations for the 2018-19 season.