Gaining the 3 Seed Gives the Portland Trail Blazers an Easier Path to the Western Conference Finals
By Jakob Ashlin
Paul George Is Not 100% Healthy
In another article, I wrote about how Paul George has been the key to the Thunder’s success against the Blazers this season. George is averaging 38 points per game against the Blazers this season, which is his highest average against any opponent in the league.
However, this is not the same George that was in the MVP conversation at the All-Star break. George suffered a shoulder injury in late February, and he has simply not been the same player. Here are his numbers before and after the All-Star break.
Before: 28.7 points,45.3% FG, 40.6% 3PT
After: 26.4 points, 40% FG, 33.6% 3PT
As you can see, George has still been an effective player, but he has not been shooting with the same efficiency after the injury. That is a major reason why the Thunder posted a losing record after the All-Star break.
Random observation - The Thunder were 1 of 2 playoff teams (Pacers the other) that had a losing record after the All-Star break, but they finished the season w/ the league's longest active winning streak (5 games).
— John Schuhmann (@johnschuhmann) April 11, 2019
The Thunder have won each of their games over the Blazers by single digits, and it was George’s offensive dominance that put them over the top.
To make matters worse for the Thunder, George reportedly aggravated the injury against the Houston Rockets this past Tuesday. In fact, his status for Game 1 is still up in the air.
If George cannot take over every game, this matchup suddenly becomes much more appealing for the Blazers.