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Paul George wants more 'respect' for defensive work

J Pat Carter / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George would like you to kindly show some respect for his defensive ability.

The three-time All-Defensive stopper is widely acknowledged as one of the best wing scorers in the league, but he said after Wednesday's win over the Golden State Warriors that he should get more recognition for what he does on the other end of the floor.

"I don’t think I get the respect. I’ve done it at a high level in Indiana. But that’s an award the media gets to vote for and chooses. I don’t think I was on that national level in terms of my defense," George told Marc Spears of the Undefeated.

George showcased his talents in Wednesday's win by locking down one of the NBA's best scorers in Kevin Durant, who had 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting while committing four turnovers. George was a pest all over the floor as he recorded 10 of his team's 27 deflections to go along with four steals.

His activity on and off the ball has been the main reason why the Thunder sits third in the league in defensive efficiency. George leads the league in both deflections (5.1) and steals (2.6), which has directly translated to OKC ranking highest in turnovers forced (18.8).

None of this is new for George. He was a core piece of an Indiana Pacers side that pushed the Big Three-era Miami Heat teams to the brink with their signature brand of unrelenting defense. That Pacers squad slowly fell apart, especially after George broke his leg, but he has found another opportunity in Oklahoma City to replicate that success.

"We had one of the best defenses in history in Indiana. I had a lot of help. A tremendous amount of help. I thought I was the best one-on-one defender early in my career. I get a chance to showcase that here," George said.

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