OKC Thunder forward, Paul George was rewarded for his strong season efforts with not one, but two NBA award finalist nods, for Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of Year.
In a campaign that started off strong, but finished with a dud. OKC Thunder All-Star starting small forward Paul George has earned a finalist spot in two separate NBA award categories, the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.
Each of the six classic award categories consists of three nominees. The winners will be announced during the third-annual NBA Award Shows on June 24, 2019. Regarding the MVP, George is joined by fellow All-Star’s James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Below is a chart containing the player’s traditional stats per game for the 2018-19 season:
In a League of Their Own
| Rk | Player | GS | MP | FG% | 3P% | 2P% | eFG% | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 72 | 32.8 | .578 | .256 | .641 | .599 | .729 | 2.2 | 10.3 | 12.5 | 5.9 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 27.7 |
| 2 | Paul George | 77 | 36.9 | .438 | .386 | .484 | .529 | .839 | 1.4 | 6.8 | 8.2 | 4.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 28.0 |
| 3 | James Harden | 78 | 36.8 | .442 | .368 | .528 | .541 | .879 | 0.8 | 5.8 | 6.6 | 7.5 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 36.1 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/18/2019.
Although I predicted George would win MVP back in September, injuring both his left and right shoulder ultimately unraveled the best season of his career.
Couple that with the fact, Harden and Antetokounmpo both accounted for astronomical season’s themselves and PG had little chance to capture the leagues most coveted award. After the All-Star break, it clearly became a two-man race between the Beard and the Greek Freak.
Let’s Get Defensive
Even with two bum shoulder’s, PG still led the league in deflections per match at 3.8, and 292 total deflections. George’s free safety mentality didn’t stop there, he also led the NBA in steals per game; grabbing 2.2, and total steals registering 170. His fellow DPoY candidates are Giannis and Rudy Gobert. Here is how their numbers shook out:
| Rk | Player | Season | DRtg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 2018-19 | 99 |
| 2 | Paul George | 2018-19 | 105 |
| 3 | Rudy Gobert | 2018-19 | 100 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/18/2019.
| Rk | Player | DRB% | TRB% | STL% | BLK% | USG% | DWS | DBPM | VORP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 30.0 | 19.3 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 32.3 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 7.6 |
| 2 | Paul George | 19.6 | 11.4 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 29.5 | 4.9 | 0.7 | 5.3 |
| 3 | Rudy Gobert | 30.2 | 21.9 | 1.2 | 5.8 | 17.8 | 5.7 | 5.1 | 5.9 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/18/2019.
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It’s unlikely George will win either award, but if by chance he or the Greek Freak were to win both MVP and DPoY they would become only the second player in league history to win each award in the same season.
Overall, it is an honor for George to be named a finalist for such awards.
PG would become the Thunder’s third MVP winner, and first Defensive Player of the Year winner, if he walks away with either award.
Another untimely OKC Thunder playoff exit will have no barring on the voting; because all votes were submitted the day after the regular season concluded.
To that end, it will be intriguing to see who earns what hardware when the winners are unveiled in late June.