Getty Paul George, James Harden
The Philadelphia 76ers rebounded well from losing James Harden by adding Paul George to the team. Sixers alum and former star Theo Ratliff believes George will fit better than Harden.
Ratliff explained during an interview with SiriusXM why he believes George is better for the Sixers than Harden by singling out what George does that Harden does not. ClutchPoints’ X account aggregated the interview.
“The one thing that Paul George does that James Harden didn’t do is play defense. With the dynamics of having a scorer that has played in an All-Star role for a long time and also knows how to defer to other All-Stars, I think it’s a great acquisition,” Ratliff said. “He does the utility work along with getting buckets.”
“One thing that Paul George does that James Harden didn’t do is play defense… he does the utility work along with getting buckets.”
Theo Ratliff on Why Paul George is a great fit on the Sixers 🗣️
(via @SiriusXMNBA)
Ratliff’s words are valid, as George has made multiple All-Star and All-NBA teams. He has also made multiple All-Defense teams, but he hasn’t made one since 2019.
Ratliff played for the Sixers from 1997 to 2001, and in his last season, he made the All-Star team. However, he did not play due to injury and was traded to the Atlanta Hawks mid-season for Dikembe Mutombo. Ratliff came back to the Sixers for the 2008-09 season.
Paul George Predicted to Have Most Impact Among New Additions
In an August 19 story, the ESPN staff took a poll to see which new addition would impact their new team the most. George finished first with 68 points or 48% of the vote. The staff then explained why George finished first.
“After negotiations for a max contract fell through, George’s five-season stint with the Clippers came to a close. George remains one of the NBA’s elite two-wing players, taking the top spot for the player with the biggest impact on his new team,” the staff wrote.
George is coming of an All-Star appearance in 2024 with the Clippers. Even if he is 34 years old, George can play at a high level. While the last time he went on a substantial playoff run was 2021 – the only substantial one he’s been on since leaving the Indiana Pacers – George has enough left in the tank that the Sixers felt comfortable playing him.
He beat out Mikal Bridges, Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, Chris Paul, and Klay Thompson in the poll.
Kevin Garnett Makes Bold Claim About Paul George
By joining the Sixers, George is returning to the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2017. NBA Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett believes that his new beginning back in the Eastern Conference on his personal Instagram page.
“I think PG is going to be better in the east than he was in the west. A lot slower pace over here on the east. Having new, fresh beginnings. I’m sure he’s hearing all the rumblings and the echoes just coming from the Clipper locker room,” Garnett said on August 19.
George may be third in the Sixers’ pecking order behind Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. That might be better for him as he could thrive with less of a load on his shoulders. The Sixers have had lofty expectations for several years now but haven’t gone further than the second round.
With George’s talent and experience, that may change in 2025.
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Ex-Sixers Star Explains Key Difference Between Paul George & James Harden