Joe Mazzulla Sends Strong Message About Paul George originally appeared on NESN.
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Paul George has earned Joe Mazzulla’s stamp of approval.
Following Wednesday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Mazzulla was asked how important George has been to the Boston Celtics so far this season.
“Extremely, and beyond basketball,” Mazzulla said.
“I think tonight was a great opportunity for him to play a different role than what he has before. Defensively, he’s been elite since he stepped on the court. Offensively, it’s been a fun journey with him, just growing through it and learning the system and how to play and being unpredictable.
“Looking at different things tonight, I thought he was really good at demanding the ball and getting the ball where he wanted and making a play for himself or for others.
“We need the best version of him for us to be a great team, and I think you were able to see that tonight.”
MORE: This Jayson Tatum Stat Shows How Different Paul George Is From Jaylen Brown
George helped the Celtics defeat the Bucks without Jayson Tatum, who got the night off for rest.
George led Boston with 25 points, five assists, four steals and three rebounds. He also knocked down five 3-pointers as the Celtics held off a late Bucks rally.
George and Derrick White combined for 20 points in the fourth quarter to help Boston secure a 109-102 victory.
The nine-time All-Star has been everything the Celtics could’ve hoped for and more to start the season. Through seven games, he’s averaging 21.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from 3-point range.
George has also been a menace defensively. He’s averaging 2.6 steals per game and is among the league leaders in deflections.
Mazzulla has good reason to believe George can take the Celtics to another level.
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