LOS ANGELES – Paul George was motivated and fueled by “all the noise” that surrounds him throughout the season, and winning an All-Star spot is another “milestone” in his comeback season, he said.
The LA Clippers guard was named one of the selected All-Star reserves at the Western Conference on Tuesday, along with his teammate Kawhi Leonard, who was previously voted as a starter in the Western Conference pool.
“With all the noise, everything is happening, you’ll find motivation through it,” George said of all the criticism he’s heard since the Clippers crash in the second round of last postseason. “You dig deep and you would be amazed at what comes out of it. Honestly, it was to use everything as motivation, fueling all this this year.
“[All-Star] it’s a good stage, the beginning of my season. But definitely [not] where I want it to end. So I have a lot more work to do. ”
George, who hit his first five 3-point shots before finishing 30 points behind the Clippers’ 135-116 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, will make his seventh All-Star appearance.
George, however, joined a chorus of NBA celebrities who have expressed concern about an All-Star game taking place this year amid a pandemic.
“I’m not just a fan of everything that happens,” George said. “I think he’s just smart [to not hold one]. … I understand we have an amazing league; I don’t discredit that. But I don’t think – just in the middle of a pandemic – it’s something that needs to be done. “
George also said he was fined this season for a health and safety protocol precaution.
“Especially, [for] For personal reasons, I was fined for spending time with a teammate or having a teammate and yet we have this All-Star game, “George explained.” So again, I have personal reasons why I don’t agree with the game [being held]. “
George said he did not want to deepen the fine, but said he would play in the All-Star Game on March 7 in Atlanta.
George entered on Tuesday night with an average of 24.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists to go with a shooting rate of 51.1% to the highest career, including 47.1% behind the arc of 3 points.
The goalkeeper was not an All-Star last season, after not playing in the first 11 games of the Clippers, because he was brought back into action following off-shoulder operations. Last postseason, George suffered a shooting drop in the first round of the playoffs, before going 4 to 16 on the field and scoring 10 points in a loss in Game 7 to the Denver Nuggets. while the Clippers brought a series of 3-1 second round.
George said he heard several “chirps” this season from opponents “who only lived in the past.” He was motivated to prove his doubts.
“He’s always been an All-Star, you know, in my eyes,” said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. “He’s one of the best players in our league; you know he’s been for a while.”
“It’s worth it. And the kind of year he’s had, you know, this year, shows just the hard work he put in the summer to get back to that point.”