#4 Paul George – Los Angeles Clippers
2020-21 Stats: 23.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.1 STL, 46.7 FG%, 41.1 3P%
Kawhi Leonard is the best player on the Los Angeles Clippers roster, but since he is out to begin the year, the No. 1 spot on this team’s depth chart goes to Paul George. In the Clippers’ final eight playoff games without Kawhi last season, George was fantastic, averaging 29.6 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 5.6 APG and he shot 43.8% from the floor.
Many people hate on Paul George after some of his bad performances in the 2020 NBA Bubble, but he was the main reason why the Clippers made their first-ever appearance in the Western Conference Finals last season. Say what you want about him, but George is still one of the top wings in the NBA and will definitely get off to a fast start during the 2021-22 season.
Over the last two seasons in Los Angeles, Paul George has averaged 22.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game during the regular season, and with Leonard out to begin the new year, we should expect each of these numbers to increase by at least 2.5 units each. His production is going to go way up and now as the No. 1 option on the Clippers, George will have to be great in order for Los Angeles to remain at the top of the Western Conference.
#3 Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
2020-21 Stats: 26.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.2 STL, 45.9 FG%, 38.6 3P%
We talked about Jaylen Brown a little bit ago and now, it is time to talk about the Celtics’ best player in Jayson Tatum. Through four years in the NBA, Tatum has gone from being a talented scorer to being an all-around shooting threat to becoming one of the league’s top scorers.
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Coming off a career year during the 2020-21 season, it really is not exaggerating to say that Jayson Tatum has a chance to put his name in the MVP race this upcoming year if the Celtics are a top-tier team in the Eastern Conference. Tatum truly is one of the best players in the NBA right now and at 23-years-old, he is only going to get better.
While he was left off of the All-NBA list for the 2020-21 season, Jayson Tatum made his second straight All-Star appearance and is one of the best scoring wings right now. If he can put things together in terms of being a complete facilitator, then there will be no stopping Tatum and this Celtics offense, especially since teams will have to deal with Jaylen Brown next to him.
Given his length, athleticism, and ball-handling abilities at the small forward position, the young Celtics forward is going to be “the guy” for Boston once again, leading to them truly having a shot to be a special team. The Celtics will go as far as Brown and Tatum can take them and given his pure scoring abilities, Jayson Tatum may be able to make this year special for the Celtics.
