NBA: Paul George is becoming a Most Valuable Player candidate
The Most Valuable Player award is the most prestigious individual honour in the NBA regular season. That means that one particular player played great throughout the entire season and had a positive impact on his team.
This player had an impressive season stat wise and in most cases helped their team make the playoffs as a high seed. The player was valuable to their team and put the entire league on notice. Their team's success rests mostly on that player and their performance in the regular season. The Most Valuable Player of the regular season is definitely the most important player of that particular NBA season.
In most cases, the NBA's elite receives the MVP. Last year, James Harden won the MVP award after he averaged 30.4 points, 8.8 assists, and 5.4 rebounds. This season, Harden is playing even better, averaging 36.3 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.6 rebounds. Harden is on track to win his second consecutive MVP award. But, there are other players having MVP calibre seasons, with one of them being a forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Paul George is slowly becoming an MVP candidate. George is averaging 28.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. In the month of February, he had numbers of 35.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.
George also had four games where he scored 40 or more points this month, with his most recent 40-point game coming against the Utah Jazz. PG had 45 points and nine rebounds in a double-overtime win. He also made a buzzer beater to beat the Utah Jazz 148-147.
His other 40-point games were against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Houston Rockets, and the Miami Heat. George had an unbelievable 47-point triple-double in a 120-111 win over the Blazers. He finished the game with 47 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
George is arguably having the best season of his career. He is averaging a career high in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. George continues to be effective on both ends of the floor. since he is an elite defender and an offensive threat.
His level of play has helped the Thunder become the third best team in the West. The Thunder are 38-22 this season. They are five games behind the Golden State Warriors, who have the first seed of the West. PG-13 is a huge part of the Thunder's success, given his ability to play off of a former MVP in Rusell Westbrook.
Should he win the MVP this season? It is difficult to say for sure. Harden is the front-runner and that has not changed in the last couple of days. However, if George continues to play well, he'll definitely be considered for MVP.