Paul George has been in the NBA since 2011. He's made nine All-Star appearances, six All-NBA Teams and four All-Defensive Teams, and scored nearly 20,000 points. But he knew that he would have to prove himself all over again in Boston after he arrived this summer in a blockbuster trade that sent Celtics icon and fan favorite Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers.
"I understand my circumstances. I understand how huge JB was, not only for the organization, but here in the city. So, I didn't take it personal," George said at his introductory press conference, regarding the negative reaction to the trade. "To be honest, they should have a relationship, emotionally, to that trade. But my job is to kind of come into a great opportunity for me."
"It's a new group, a new opportunity," George continued. "I think they're getting someone that's ready to -- not fill the shoes or fill the void of JB -- but I think from a personal standpoint myself, I think I can come in and kind of still keep us in that contention. Give us a chance to win."
It's taken George just a few weeks to earn the trust of Celtics fans and show that he can still contribute to winning.
After pouring in 27 points in a 20-point win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, George is averaging 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and a career-high 2.3 steals, while shooting a career-high 42.5% from 3-point range for the 8-2 Celtics, who sit in second place in the Eastern Conference behind the 9-2 Sixers.
Those old rivals will meet Tuesday in a highly anticipated showdown that will be Brown and George's first games against their old teams.
"It'll be great to see those guys and compete against them finally," George said Sunday. "Obviously, Philly was a special place for me. It was a rough, you know, tenure, my two years there, but it'll be special to be in the building."
Ahead of George's return to Philadelphia, let's take a closer look at how he's shined so far in Boston:
George accepts his role, sets a 'very high' standard
"We have a superstar and that's [Jayson Tatum]," George said during his introductory press conference. "I'm not here to steal the shine or reinvent who I am. I'm here to help JT. He's the guy."
As great as Tatum and Brown were together, there was always some underlying tension over their place in the organization. Brown, who was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP and Finals MVP in 2024 when the Celtics won the title, saw himself as Tatum's equal. That was especially true after Brown led the Celtics to 56 wins last season while Tatum missed the majority of the campaign rehabbing from a torn Achilles.
Trading Brown for George established a clear hierarchy in the locker room. The Celtics are Tatum's team, and George is happy to play a supporting role. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised George for being "very coachable, very open-minded" and setting a "very high" standard.
"The way we're asking him to play is maybe a little bit different than what he's been asked to do in the past. He enjoys that, he's open-minded to it and he just works at it. He's very hard on himself. Holds himself to a very high standard, constantly watching film, taking notes in his journal and just processing the game. He takes pride in learning and getting better and you're seeing the fruits of that," Mazzulla said Sunday.
Catch-and-shoot savant
George has always been a high-level 3-point shooter, but he's spent most of his career having to create looks for himself. In Boston, playing alongside Tatum in a system that prioritizes shooting and spacing, George has thrived as a high-volume catch-and-shoot threat.
He's shooting 46% on 5.6 catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts per game -- both marks are career-highs. George is tied for 10th in the league in catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts per game, and among the 16 players taking at least five such attempts, he's tied for second in percentage, behind only Steph Curry (54.9%).
Off-ball Paul
Most efficient high-volume catch-and-shoot threats in 2026-27
Steph Curry | 5.3 | 54.9% | |
Paul George | Celtics | 5.6 | 46% |
Pistons | 7 | 46% | |
5.6 | 46% | ||
6.6 | 43.9% |
By comparison, Brown has never shot 40% from 3-point range for a season in his career, and hasn't even shot above 40% on catch-and-shoot attempts since 2021. George's willingness to accept more of an off-ball role, and ability to knock down those shots at an extremely high rate, is a big reason why he's fit in so seamlessly in Boston.
George's five 3s against the Bucks on Sunday were all of the catch-and-shoot variety.
"Watching him shoot like that is unbelievable," Celtics big man Mitchell Robinson said Sunday. "Played against him quite a few times and to be on the same side of the ball with him and cheer him on instead of boo[ing him], it's great."
Overall, George is shooting 42.5% on a team-high 8.1 3-point attempts per game. His hot shooting is a big reason why the Celtics are sixth in the league in 3-point percentage (37.6%) even though Tatum (31.3%) and Derrick White (32.7%) have been ice cold to start the season.
'Incredible defensive instincts'
George hasn't made an All-Defensive Team since 2019, when he finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting with the Oklahoma City Thunder, in large part due to injuries. He remains an elite team defender, though, and will get back to the All-Defensive level this season if he stays healthy and keeps defending like he has through the first 10 games.
When asked about George on Sunday, Tatum singled out his new teammate's "super-high IQ" and "incredible defensive instincts."
George has been particularly impressive off the ball this season. He's wreaking havoc in the passing lanes with his length, timing and anticipation. George's 2.3 steals are a career-high and good for fourth in the league, and he's third in deflections per game with 5.1. Of the four players averaging at least five deflections per game, he is by far the oldest at 36.
5.7 | ||
5.3 | ||
Paul George | Celtics | 5.1 |
5 |
George's effort is a big reason why the Celtics are forcing way more turnovers than they ever have under Mazzulla. Their opponent turnover rate is 17.4%, which ranks sixth in the league; in Mazzulla's first four seasons in charge, the Celtics never had an opponent turnover rate above 13.1% and never finished higher than 24th in the league in that category.