Jan 4, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) is guarded by Brooklyn Nets guard Keon Johnson (45) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Lost in the team-wide celebration of Guerschon Yabusele's monstrous dunk in the Sixers' win over the Brooklyn Nets last night was this pass from Paul George:
So, first of all, that is a preposterous attempt at selling an offensive foul from D'Angelo Russell. Is this a Hallmark movie? If you're going to put yourself in the way, then commit to it. Get in front of the driver, take the contact and get run over. Don't take the contact half-heartedly and then stumble backward. F- acting job there.
Second of all, let's say George commits to the shot and goes for continuation there. Maybe Russell does go to the floor, putting George at risk for an offensive foul. Even if he doesn't, there's contact on the continuation and Nic Claxton lurking at the rim. I give it a zero-percent chance that George gets a shot to drop there. Maybe - maybe - he gets a foul call, but you can never be so sure these days.
Third of all, none of that matters because he makes the smart play. Instead of forcing the issue, he sees Yabusele trailing down the lane as he collides with Russell. All the attention is on the ball. No one has accounted for Yabusele. So, George braces for the contact and stops dead in his tracks. Russell does his audition for Lifetime, not nearly enough to sell an offensive foul but enough to not inhibit Yabusele as he plunges after receiving the pass. Claxton has to change his positioning slightly, but he doesn't have time to square his body to the ball and Yabusele already has a head of steam.
I will say, Claxton does a helluva job contesting this dunk despite the disadvantage. The Sixers were right to go bananas for their teammate thoroughly dunking through the Nets big man. But, it was all set up by George, who made the unselfish play and the play that ball-handling wings rarely make: the stop on a dime and feed to the trailer.
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