“Paul George has to prove himself”: Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t buy the Clippers star’s improvements, says he has to turn up in the playoffs

Shaquille O’Neal needs to see Paul George perform when it matters most before he can give the Clippers star any credit.

No one in the NBA community can forget the LA Clippers’ disappointing run in the playoffs last season. Despite being considered as title contenders, the team was bounced out by the Nuggets in the second round.

There was far more than one thing that caused the team’s downfall. But arguably the most concerning out of all of them were the inefficient performances by Paul George.

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Since then, the superstar has seemed like he is on a revenge tour of sorts. He has played like he has a real chip on his shoulder and looks like a completely different player this season.

And so, the topic of PG’s performances this regular season came up, on TNT’s Inside the NBA. And while the others were willing to say the player is back to his best, Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal can’t quite get himself to agree.

Shaquille O’Neal wants more out of Paul George this year

Shaquille O’Neal has mellowed out a bit as the season has gone on it seems. After starting the year off by throwing shots at some of the best players in the league, the former player has been far more polite and reasonable with his criticism in recent months. And while he was commenting on Paul George, this fact shined through once again.

 

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Shaq made sure to point out Geroge’s incredible regular season, acknowledging that the player has stepped up for the Clippers. However, the former player also made a fair point.

At the end of the day, many great regular-season players can falter in the postseason, when it matters most. That is exactly what PG did last season as well. So, before any big statements can be made, it stands to reason that his playoffs this year need to be observed.

There is undeniably a ton of pressure on Paul George at the moment. Some would even say his legacy depends on it. So, it will be really interesting to see if the Clippers star will repeat what he did last year, or find a way to rise above for his franchise.

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About the author

Tonoy Sengupta

Tonoy Sengupta is a Senior Editor at The SportsRush. Coming from an athletically inclined family, he has been surrounded by sports ever since he was 4 years old. But, while initially pouring all his time into Football (soccer), at 14, Tonoy discovered basketball through the countless highlights of Stephen Curry humiliating players from Curry Land. And just like that, a fiery passion for the game was ignited within Tonoy. And soon after, he decided to become a student of journalism, graduating in 2022, and choosing sports as his area of interest. Today, you can find him spending 99% of his time browsing through every type of content on every team in the NBA, before uncorking everything he has found to the world. In the 1% he isn't doing this, you can find him playing Basketball, Football, Volleyball, or practically any other sport he has had the opportunity to learn.

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