OKLAHOMA CITY — The NBA revealed the finalists for their annual awards for the 2018-19 regular season. The Oklahoma City Thunder will be represented by Paul George in the Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player categories.
George shares DPOY-finalist honors with the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz. Antetokounmpo and George are also MVP-finalists with James Harden of the Houston Rockets.
This will mark the first time in George’s career that he will finish in the top three of the MVP voting. George finished 4th in DPOY voting during his first year with the Thunder in 2017-18, the highest he has ever finished in the category.
George averaged career-highs in points — 28.0, 2nd in the NBA — rebounds at 8.2, 4.1 assists and 2.21 steals which led the NBA. The only player to average as many points, rebounds and steals in a season was Michael Jordan in 1988-89.
Despite dropping off in the final month of the year caused by two shoulder injuries, George’s regular season performance was deemed to dominant to leave off the top three in either category.
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In 11 years of existence, the Thunder have had five seasons where a player has finished in the top three in MVP voting. They have won the award twice (Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook).
OKC has also finished in the top five of the MVP voting in eight seasons:
8 years if you stretch it out to the top 5 in MVP voting:
2014-15 – Russell Westbrook 4th
2015-16 – Russell Westbrook 4th, Kevin Durant 5th
2017-18 – Russell Westbrook 5th— Brady Trantham (@BradyDoesSports) May 18, 2019
The Thunder have had similar success in the DPOY category. Serge Ibaka finished the highest in the 2011-12 season:
For DPOY, OKC has had 5 years of a player finishing in the top 5. Paul George has never finished higher than 4th.
2011-12 Serge Ibaka 2nd (highest for a Thunder player)
2012-13 Ibaka 3rd
2013-14 Ibaka 4th
2016-17 Andre Roberson tied-5th (w/ LeBron James)
2017-18 George 4th— Brady Trantham (@BradyDoesSports) May 18, 2019
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Brady Trantham has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for The Franchise since April 2018 and for Thunder Digest since 2016. He hosts a Thunder podcast with Madysson Morris “OKC-82 Podcast” which can be found on all podcast outlets, and is a featured co-host on the Franchise Thunder Insider’s Show on Saturdays from 10-12, in addition to weekly guest spots on “The Franchise Drive” on Tuesdays and “The Franchise Morning Show” on Wednesdays. Follow him on Twitter @BradyDoesSports
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