Paul George has been around in the NBA for over a decade. He has embraced the role of being the primary defensive matchup for some of the best players in the league. PG13 has admitted he was never a top-tier defender when he was young but improved in the NBA.
That improvement meant he had to guard some of the most talented players like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony . Those two standouts from the 2003 Draft are the prime examples of tough matchups for wing players, which George agrees with.
"You just try to make it tough. When it comes to guys like LeBron and Melo, they've faced every defense in the world—double-teams, guys who play good defense," George said to SLAM in 2013. "So you're not going to slow their rate down. The thing I wanted to do is make it difficult for them. They're great scorers, great passers with a great feel for the game. I just try to make it tougher for them."
LeBron and Carmelo are impossible to stop
While players like Bron and Melo could be slowed down, they can never be stopped. As a defender, you can try to make them work for their points, but they are way too good on the offense for any player to take on one-on-one.
NBA legend Rick Barry believes that a good offense always trumps an elite defense , which is what PG thought every time he defended them.
LeBron is an athletic marvel because he can out-speed anyone or bully them in the paint. He has the bulk to bump bodies with anyone in the league while having the athleticism to blow past defenders.
As he matured, King James improved his overall game. He became a good post-up scorer and a reliable three-point shooter, making him one of the toughest matchups for any perimeter defender in the NBA.
The same goes for Carmelo because he is among the most talented scorers in NBA history. He has a move for every situation, as he can thrive from the triple-threat position but can also post up or do an isolation play.
He was a complete offensive player during his heyday because he had all the athleticism to score in the paint while having one of the smoothest jump shots you can ever see in basketball.
Related: Paul George Sr. talks about meeting Dr. J during PG's meeting with the 76ers: "'Damn, why I couldn't jump like you?"
PG deserves flowers as a defender
While he admits he cannot stop players like James and Anthony, George still deserves praise for his defense and development. He has said he was not a good defender as a youngster but was motivated to be one because that would get him minutes in the NBA.
After usurping Danny Granger for the starting spot, PG13 became one of the elite two-way players in the league. He used his long limbs to keep getting steals, but he had the strength to match up in the post or isolation plays. Paul developed a lot with his defense, so he deserves more than just a passing statement about how he guards his matchups because he made players' lives more challenging.
Related: "No skill detected" - LeBron James responds to critics who say he's just been "running people over" his whole career
Local News
Comments / 0