No holds barred, the New York Knicks absolutely demolished the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. Right from the get go, it was pretty clear that the hosts would start and finish strong. The visitors, after all, seemed fatigued from their exhausting comeback in the first round against the Celtics. All in all, it was essentially a scheduled loss for Philly, although it does not take away from what New York displayed on both ends.
The series is still pretty early, and obviously, the 76ers have faced a more challenging adversary just recently, having gone down 3-1 in their erstwhile series. But even at this juncture, Nick Nurse and the coaching staff should seriously consider making one switch they have not yet done in these playoffs –– allowing and encouraging Paul George to take more shots.
George, who has played markedly well since returning from his 25-game league suspension, has seen his usage decline in the playoffs. Thus far, he has only registered a 19.6 percent usage rate, which is a notable drop from the 23.3 percent mark he logged during the regular season. That is something that needs to change for Philly against the Knicks, which are heavily favored to come out as the victors in the semis.
The 76ers should give Paul George more room to operate by himself
There is nothing wrong with George settling for the shots that come naturally for him, but it would make the group's collective scoring attack more dangerous and less predictable if he was allowed to hunt for his shots more instead of being a mere play finisher at large.
The nine-time All-Star is hoisting just 12.4 shots on the average in the playoffs, which is a decline from the nearly 14 shots per game he registered during the regular season. That is simply too little for a guy who is draining 49.5 percent of his shots, including a blistering 56.5 percent from beyond the three-point line.
With George averaging nearly 36 minutes per outing, there is no excuse for his usage to be that low. The 76ers need more firepower from the perimeter, and that is precisely the reason why George should be getting more shots. As good as Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are in terms of mobilizing the scoring attack, George is just as capable in spurts. Deploying him strictly as a catch-and-shoot threat and a bailout option does not do his skill set justice.
Fortunately for them, the 76ers already have the mechanics to give Paul George more liberty on the offensive end. The defense, after all, would be more than glad if Embiid and Maxey pass the rock. But with the former All-Star playing efficiently as a release valve, Philadelphia would retain an advantage in case their opponents make such a concession on D.
Add us as a preferred source on Google