Setting the example, as he has done, is a good starting point to work on his leadership prowess. His accolades in 2013 are proof of how far he's come. When West leaves the NBA, George should have reached his peak as an NBA superstar.īy continuously working and refining his game, George has displayed a stellar work ethic for his teammates to follow. West is on the cusp of turning 33 next month. George becoming a great and consistent finisher with his left hand will not only make him unpredictable, but it will also give him an edge over the opposition on his way to being an NBA superstar for years to come.ĭavid West is arguably the Indiana Pacers' leader.Īt 23, it would already be a good time for George to take on a more active leadership role. Reggie Miller mentioned in his book, I Love Being the Enemy: 'Predictability in the NBA is death.' It's no secret he used every ploy imaginable to gain any competitive advantage he could muster. Just imagine him doing this in traffic being challenged by bigger men down low.īy relying on the consistent use of his left hand as another weapon to his already impressive arsenal, George can help confuse opposing defenses. This was an uncontested score off a steal. The above video shows George's ability to throw down a left-handed slam.

However, he has yet to become a great finisher using his left hand. He is also capable of going to his left despite being a natural right-handed player. George is a player who can handle the ball with either hand. Second, he can be a step ahead of opposing double-teams attempting to converge on him in the paint, reducing his turnovers in the process. First, he will easily be a 20-points-per-game scorer. Two things are in the offing if George learns to be a consistent mid-range threat. It's also clear his corner shots inside three-point distance (especially the right side) are off. This is hard evidence of George having difficulty getting his offense going from mid-range, specifically from around 10 to 15 feet away. Quite a contrast from Durant's, isn't it? The spots marked in red represent field-goal percentages below the league average. You can see that Durant's mid-range game is nearly flawless -the areas inside the three-point area and slightly away from the basket are all marked in green, which represents the field-goal percentage above the league average.Īnd then there is George's. Take a look at Kevin Durant's shot chart for the 2012-13 regular season and compare it to Paul George's above. Superstar players rely on their mid-range game to get results.

He would make for a perfect decoy, since opposing defenses are drawn to him like a magnet. George has to do a better job of recognizing the double-teams coming his way so he can swing the ball out to the open man. Neal pokes the ball from behind and Danny Green recovers. The second part of that clip shows the San Antonio Spurs' Gary Neal and DeJuan Blair converging on George. In the above clip, he is met by a triple-team from the Toronto Raptors on his way to the basket and eventually gets stripped of possession. Since George's reputation as a scorer is now well known among his opponents, they routinely throw double- or even triple-teams at him. George turning the ball over five or six times in a 2013 postseason game wasn't uncommon at all. They forced George to turn the ball over an average of five times per game.Īs last season's playoffs wore on, his turnover rate increased from an average of 2.7 in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks to 4.6 in the Eastern Conference Finals against the eventual champions Miami Heat. Surprisingly enough, two teams that gave him the most fits in this area in the 2012-13 regular season were the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz. He averaged 2.9 turnovers per game last season.

Nba turnover leaders 2013