The Oklahoma City Thunder could be at an early disadvantage in their first round series against the Portland Trail Blazers, as ESPN's Royce Young says that star forward Paul George will be a game-time decision on Sunday afternoon ahead of Game 1:
Paul George is a gametime decision, Billy Donovan says. He’ll go through his pregame routine and make a decision from there.
— Royce Young (@royceyoung) April 14, 2019
George played in 77 of 82 regular season games for the Thunder this season, but he has been hampered by a shoulder injury that he first aggravated in February. George was inactive in the Thunder's regular season finale against the Milwaukee Bucks.
A leading candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year award, George as arguably the best player in the league during a three-month stretch between The start of December and the end of February. During that stint, George averaged over 31.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists, posting three consecutive months with an offensive rating above 120 and shooting well over 40 percent from three-point range.
However, George struggled with his efficiency after injuring the shoulder in late-February. He barely managed to shoot over 40 percent from the field in 18 games between March and April, while his percentage from beyond the arc plummeted as well.
Still, George's defensive prowess was on full display, as he averaged close to four steals in four games this month and continued to prove that he is one of the very best two-way players in the game.
George has also decimated the Trail Blazers this season, averaging 38 points, 10.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in four games against Portland this season.
If the Thunder are without George, they will likely need a heroic performance from Russell Westbrook to try to steal the home court advantage.
Follow Us
Subscribe