NBA 2018/19: 3 reasons why Paul George is now the Thunder's most important player

Paul George joined the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017, after informing his Indiana Pacers team that he would not sign a max extension, due to his desire to head to Los Angeles in the 2018 offseason.

At the same time, the OKC Thunder had just signed Russell Westbrook to a new contract and wanted a second star to pair with their reigning MVP. The franchise ultimately made the bold move to trade away Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis in return for a player who was likely to leave the following season.

Paul George had a successful debut season in OKC, although he was widely expected to leave the team after the Thunder suffered a disappointing first-round playoff defeat to the Utah Jazz. Despite this, PG13 eventually snubbed Los Angles and LeBron James, in favor of penning a four-year, $137 million contract in Oklahoma City.

In the early stages of the 2018/19 season, George had to lead the team without the injured Russell Westbrook, although the 28-year-old has remained the Thunder's best player since the return of the 2017 MVP.

George's performances have led the Thunder to the second spot in the Western Conference standings, and here we will look at the three reasons why George is now OKC's main man.

#3 Consistency

There is no doubting that Russell Westbrook is the Thunder's best player when he is on form, however, the 30-year-old is prone to erratic performances, whereas George has been consistently excellent for his team this season.

PG13 famously missed 14 of his 16 shots in Game 6 of the 2018 playoffs last season, although the 5-time All-Star now looks settled in Oklahoma, and he has yet to let his team down this season.

George is currently shooting nearly 45% from the field, and even on nights where he struggles with his shooting, he still provides the Thunder with resistance on the defensive end.

#2 Prime of his career

Oklahoma City Thunder v Sacramento Kings

Paul George only made the 2018 All-Star game after a number of notable names withdrew through injury, however, the 28-year-old will be one of the first names on the roster this year.

PG13 is currently averaging 25.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, which are all career highs for the power forward, and George is also the only player in the NBA that is averaging at least 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

The Thunder man has also carried his team to victories with a number of huge performances in recent weeks. George has scored at least 30 points in four of his last six games, and his performances have included dropping 47 points on the Nets and 43 points on the Kings.

Ultimately, George is in the form of his life, and his OKC team are reaping the benefits.

#1 Game Closer

After years of Russell Westbrook closing out games for the Thunder, Billy Donovan has finally realized that the team has better options. During the 16/17 and 17/18 seasons, Russell Westbrook would take over in the fourth quarter, although the 2017 MVP would fire low percentage three-point shots from deep, and continually attempt contested twos.

This strategy rarely worked for Billy Donovan's men, as opposition teams could easily double team Westbrook, and the point guard often ended up shooting his team out of the game.

So far during the 18/19 season, Westbrook has stepped aside, allowing Dennis Schroder, Paul George, and even Alex Abrines to take the closing shot. From this trio, George has emerged as the man for the fourth quarter, demonstrated by his incredible performance against the Nets, and ultimately, the ball is much better served in PG13's hands for the closing moments of games.