The 76ers are currently on top of the Eastern Conference, but the Celtics –– their main rival –– are going toe to toe with them in the standings. Paul George has given Boston a new look next to Jayson Tatum, and after looking a bit washed up in his last two years in Philadelphia, the All-Star forward is now slowly returning to his form. That is all thanks to him getting the kind of freedom he never really got when he was still in Philly.
So far, George is averaging 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per contest, shooting 46.5 percent from the field, which includes a highly impressive 42.5 percent conversion rate from beyond the arc. Those are clear improvements from his short stint with the 76ers. But more importantly, he is back to getting a prominent share of their shot diet.
76ers never gave Paul George the volume he now enjoys with the Celtics
There were strong hopes that George was going to be the star who could get the 76ers over the hump, but that ended up being far from reality. Aside from his nagging and ill-timed absences due to injury (and a lengthy league suspension in his second season), the team never seemed comfortable giving him the kind of freedom he had with his previous ball clubs. Eventually, George himself had to accept a more streamlined role, especially on offense.
George often played passively as he was shoehorned into being the No. 3 or even the No. 4 option in the team's hierarchy. As a result, his numbers took a significant dip. Well, that script has flipped for him with the Celtics this season.
Boston has installed the nine-time All-Star as the clear-cut sidekick to Jayson Tatum. He is taking nearly two more shots a night with the Celtics than with the 76ers, and his usage rate has increased by approximately five percent. George has assumed the old post he had with the LA Clippers, where he was the secondary option next to Kawhi Leonard.
Now, the Celtics are savoring having George in his real element. He remains a deadly shot creator from all three levels, and his spot-up shooting has been a perfect addition to their trigger-happy offense. Even defensively, he has stood out as one of their most impactful defenders.
There are good reasons why the 76ers utilized George the way they did, but he certainly did not have the latitude the Celtics have willingly afforded him. Now, he is back to looking like an All-Star, which seemed to no longer be within his reach when he was still in Philly.
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