OKC Thunder player preview: Healthier Paul George pushes OKC into contention

Areas of Improvement for 2019

The big area George needs to bounce back in is shooting. George’s field goal percentage dropped 30 points from .461 to .430 last season. He needs to get back to that 45 percent range or even higher if he wants to be at his best.

Remember, George didn’t initially make the All-Star game last year. He was the injury replacement for DeMarcus Cousins after he tore his Achilles. With LeBron now in the west and DeMar DeRozan replacing an injured Kawhi Leonard, it’s by no means a guarantee George gets in this year either. That should be a modest goal this year. Make the All-Star team outright.

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Another way to help both his game and the teams is cutting down on turnovers. One of the low key annoying things about watching the OKC Thunder last year was seeing all of George’s lazy turnovers. There was usually at least one play per game where George would just nonchalantly dribble the ball off his foot.

At times he can be too casual with the rock in his hands. Tighten that up and there could be a big difference. The Thunder played at a 53 win pace last season when George committed one or less turnover per game. Surprisingly, George’s 2.7 turnovers per game was actually the lowest in a full season since his second year in the league. It just felt like the careless ones came at such big moments.

Finally, George needs to continue to be aggressive. Again, the Thunder played at a 53 win pace when George took at least 20 shots. With Carmelo Anthony gone, George should be able to get more opportunities to create shots and be the elite scorer he is.

Final Thought:

So to recap, George’s biggest goal this season should be to make the All-Star team outright. Being a bit more ambitious, he should try and go for a Second-Team All-NBA, something he has yet to do. George also has an outside shot a defensive player of the year. With Roberson out, George is clearly the Thunder’s best defensive wing. If he can keep the Thunder afloat as an elite defensive team, winning this award isn’t out of the question.

Obviously, George didn’t resign with the Thunder to win awards. He wants to win a title. To do that, he is going to have to be a dominant force offensively the way Kevin Durant was for eight years. Ideally, he and Westbrook combine to average at least 50 points a game this season.