When the Boston Celtics acquired Paul George as part of the Jaylen Brown trade, the fanbase was understandably upset. George was coming off two straight seasons of injury issues with the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, the 36-year-old forward looks like a totally different player to begin the season in Boston. George has produced two 30-point games in his first 10 outings and has been highly impactful on both sides of the floor.
When speaking with Heavy on Sports, via US sportsbooks, 17-year NBA veteran Eddie Johnson shared his belief that George could earn his 10th All-Star appearance, should he stay healthy for the Celtics.
“ If the season ended today, he’d be an All-Star,” Johnson said. “This is no surprise with Paul George. I’ve known Paul since he was, like, 17, 18 years old. He’s a tremendous basketball player. His issue has been injuries over the years, and that’s kinda set him back. But his skill set on the basketball court is undeniable.”
Johnson continued.
“He is an excellent player, and he’s having a fantastic season. In my opinion, when they did the Jaylen Brown deal, it was that if Paul George can stay healthy, then Boston would probably have a good season. My big question with him was can he stay healthy, right? Can Tatum stay healthy? But we saw last night (against the Philadelphia 76ers) how good Paul George is, and he was the best player on the floor.”
George, 36, has certainly enjoyed a hot start to his time in Boston. However, the next hurdle will be sustaining that production throughout the season.
George Was Celtics Best Player vs. Sixers
George played a key role in Boston’s 123-101 win over the 76ers on Tuesday, November 10. He scored a total of 36 points, with 14 of them coming in the fourth quarter to help the Celtics close out the game.
When speaking with the media following Philadelphia’s loss, Joel Embiid heaped praise on his former teammate.
“You can kind of say he’s been the best player, to a certain level,” Embiid told reporters.
Embiid wasn’t lying when it comes to the production against Philadelphia. However, after months of discussions surrounding Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the former MVP may have been trying to create some division within the Celtics locker room.
Jayson Tatum Earned Praise Against Raptors
Following his game-winning exploits against the 76ers, George was rested for Boston’s November 11 matchup against the Toronto Raptors. He was listed on the injury report as dealing with an illness.
In George’s absence, Tatum stepped up to the plate and helped will his team to a win, earning praise from head coach Joe Mazzulla in the process.
“We didn’t win the game in the fourth quarter. We won the game in the middle of the second quarter when we cut it to seven,” Mazzulla said, praising the energy Tatum provided for his team. “It’s a 22-point game. It could go either way. You can kind of mail it in and just say, ‘Second night of a back-to-back, blah, blah, blah.’”
The Celtics will now have a few days off before getting back onto the court. Their next game is scheduled for Sunday, November 15, against the 7-4 Dallas Mavericks.
Celtics’ Paul George Gets Bold All-Star Prediction From 17-Year NBA Veteran