PHILADELPHIA — As Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George ages, his game will change. It’s only natural that every player in this league will eventually have to change the way they play as they get older.
George, 35, has had to battle a plethora of injuries that have limited his playing time during his time with the 76ers. He’s no longer the explosive player he was with the Los Angeles Clippers and the league when they were young, but George is still a helpful player on the court for this team.
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His presence makes the Sixers a better defensive team. According to Cleaning the Glass, George ranks in the 97th percentile in defensive rating per 100 possessions, which shows his defensive impact. He’s also played a number of different roles on offense, from a catch-and-shoot option (C&S shot 43.2 percent from 3-point range, per NBA Stats ) to a ball-handler as the group’s point forward option, as he did in Friday’s win over the Indiana Pacers.
“I feel comfortable with the ball,” George said after the win. “I think the biggest thing is it’s just continuing to prove to myself and staying confident as I continue to trust my body and get confidence on the field that my body can still perform. It just adds to the confidence and just takes a lot of work out of getting ready for the season so far. I felt good down the stretch. I felt good tonight. Just trying to build on that.”
George recently had a message for his critics and anyone who thinks he’s been “whitewashed.” It’s natural to wonder if he’ll still be the relentless scorer he once was, but the nine-time All-Star still has a lot to offer to help the Sixers get back on the road to championship contention. He brings a lot to the table and Philadelphia will benefit from it.
The goal now for George and the 76ers must be to build on all of this. Obviously, he’s not the same athlete he once was, but he still has a ton of skills that could provide the Sixers with some serious production on the wing.
This article originally appeared on 76ers Wired: Paul George becomes 76ers’ jack-of-all-trades on the court
