Not being eyed as NBA MVP? I understand, says Paul George

Naveen Ganglani

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Not being eyed as NBA MVP? I understand, says Paul George
George feels the Indiana Pacers haven't done a good enough job of closing out games this season

MANILA, Philippines – Paul George, the sixth-year superstar of the Indiana Pacers, has had his most impressive campaign in the 2015-2016 NBA season.

After missing 76 games last season due to a compounded leg fracture he suffered in a Team USA scrimmage in August 2014, George has re-established himself as one of the premier players in the NBA with averages of 23.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists a game, per ESPN.

George’s great play also has Indiana currently sixth in the Eastern Conference playoff race with a 28-24 record. On February 15, Monday, he’ll be playing alongside other NBA stars when he participates in his third career All-Star game – his second as a starter after receiving 711,595 votes.

But despite his stellar play, not many have George in the same conversation as Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Kawhi Leonard.

That’s the NBA MVP race.

Does the 25-year-old forward out of Palmdale, California believe he should be mentioned in the same breath more?

I mean, if we won the games that we should have, and we were where we’re supposed to be, then yes,” he said in a conference call with media from all around the world last week.

“But right now, I’m not doing a good enough job of finishing games for this team, and you look at the top guys that are performing well and in the MVP conversation, they’re doing an amazing job with their respective teams and that’s the point I’m trying to get to right now.”

George does make a point. Curry, the reigning league MVP, has led the Warriors to a 46-4 record to complement his impressive numbers. He’s the clear favorite to win the award again this season. 

Durant and Westbrook have steered Oklahoma City to a current 39-14 record. James, a 4-time MVP, has led Cleveland to the top of the East with a 37-14 record. Leonard, who was last season’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is playing for a Spurs team that’s 43-8.

While Indiana is 4 games above .500, its record is significantly inferior to the other leading teams.

“I wouldn’t even be satisfied if I were in the conversations right now,” admitted George, who joins Reggie Miller (1995) and Jermaine O’Neal (2003, 2004, 2006) as the only Pacers to be voted as an All-Star starter.

It’s no secret the Pacers would have a much better record if they closed out games better. In 11 out of their 24 losses this season, they were defeated by 6 points or less.

With more luck or better late-game decisions, George and Indiana could be up there with Cleveland and Toronto (35-16) competing for the top seed in the conference. That’s impressive when you consider there are 3 new guys in this year’s starting line-up, with the franchise shifting from its slow-paced, old-school approach the past few seasons, to a more 3-point heavy and faster, modern tempo.

“We all here at Indiana think we should be a lot better than what we are, but bigger picture, we’ve lost a lot of close games that we possibly could have won,” George said.

“Just, you know, us being a new group and not understanding how to put it together yet and close games. But I don’t think we’re that bad off.”

Indiana is currently ninth in the NBA in scoring (102.7 PPG). It ranks 11th in rebounding (44.2) and allows the eighth least points per game (100).

Just last week, it played the defending Eastern champ Cleveland to a close game before losing in overtime, 111-106. 

“Again, we’ve challenged every team. We’ve challenged the best teams,” emphasized George, who’s the NBA’s ninth best scorer. 

“It’s a tough game, but again, it’s just our inexperience with us being together, sort of our first year… we took some growing pains and some learning pains. But this is the type of group that if we continue to play well, we continue to learn from each other, going into playoff time this is one of those teams that [can] really ignite, come together at the right time, and learn from our mistakes earlier in the season.” – Rappler.com

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