NBA: Garnett reaches 25,000 and George Makes First All Star Game
One is old by NBA standards, while one is in just his third season in the league. Nevertheless, both were in the headlines this week in the NBA. Kevin Garnett is a veteran who played a number of seasons for the Minnesota Timberwolves, before being traded to the Boston Celtics where he plays today.
Paul George is a youngster compared to Garnett, but is making a name for himself playing for the Indiana Pacers and is set to become a household name in the league even though he plays in the small media market of Indiana.
This past week, Garnett made a jump shot in the second quarter of the Celtics win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the TD Center in Boston. With the basket, Garnett increased his career scoring to 25,000 points to become just the 16th player in the history of the NBA to reach that level.
However, what many may not be aware of is with the 25,000 points added to his more than 10,000 rebounds, 5,000 plus assists, 1,500 plus steals and 1,500 plus blocks the Celtics’ veteran joins a class of just… one.
Only Garnett has reached that pinnacle. No one since the league started has put together those kinds of numbers in five categories. It may not mean too much to Garnett as this point in his career, but when he is dome playing and reflecting on his career, he will recognize the incredible feat he accomplished.
He played hard at Minnesota and put up career numbers there, but never was able to bring home a championship. However, in his first season as a Celtic he earned that coveted title and earned the Defensive Player of the Year award as well.
George, the 6foot9 inch Indiana Pacer, is quickly moving up the ladder to stardom. He now is one of the top 10 players in the league vying for this season’s MVP trophy.
He has played well enough in this his third season to be considered an elite player and has helped the Pacers to remain a legitimate threat to the Miami Heat as the best in the Eastern Conference, even without the team’s leading scorer Danny Granger.
George is just 22, and has great athleticism, size, defensive acumen, offensive talent and the power to be a franchise player. George can handle the ball as well or better than any other shooting guard in the NBA, but he can also play inside due to his athleticism and size. George is the first player who was drafted in the class of 2010 to earn a spot in the All-Star game, beating out the likes of Greg Monroe, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Evan Turner.
After he received notice, he had earned his place on the All Star team he said he knew all along he could play at the level of the top players in the league and hopes to make it back for another All Star game in the future.
Thus far, in the season with just over half the season played, George is averaging 17.8 points, 7.8 assists and 3.9 assists per game. On defense, he and his fellow Pacers are first in the league in points allowed at 90.2 points per game.
