Paul George has taken a few bumps and bruises this season for the Thunder.
If there was ever a time that was on display, it was during his postgame media availability on Wednesday with a giant ice pack wrapped around his left shoulder.
So, when he first heard that he reached 2,000 points this season, for the first time in his career, he quickly admitted that it has been a tough road to get there.
George led the Thunder to a 107-99 win over the Indiana Pacers with 31 points, pushing his point total this season to 2,004 — easily the highest of his nine-year career.
You see me iced up. It has been a grind to get to 2,000, I guess. It’s a credit to this group, a credit to the guys around me on that floor for putting me in a position on a lot of those plays. If I got 2,000, Russ probably has got 1,000 assists on the year then, right? It’s a pleasure to be on that floor with those guys.
George has battled through two different shoulder injuries this season. He first went through soreness in his right shoulder and now his left shoulder has been bothering him.
The injury appears to have impacted his shooting a bit as he has been more inefficient over the last month or so but it is something that he has vowed to work through.
He has played through various injuries during his first two seasons with the Thunder and it really is a credit to the type of competitor that he is as a player.
The 31-point performance by George marked the 31st game of the season with at least 30 points — the most in his career. While he may have fizzled out of the MVP race, his presence for the Thunder is paramount to any success the team may have in the postseason.
As the Thunder wind down the regular season, Wednesday night served as another reminder of the type of year George is having after hitting 2,000 points for the first time.
Some may say it’s even ironic it occurred against his former team …
