National Basketball Association

Who Is Better? Paul George or Kawhi Leonard?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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After LeBron James and Kevin Durant, two wings regularly fight for the claim as the next best. So who is better? Paul George or Kawhi Leonard?

After LeBron James and Kevin Durant, there is room for debate about the NBA’s next-best wing. During the 2015-16 regular season, Kawhi Leonard was the obvious pick. Some even had him ahead of KD.

But one year does not a “better” make.

Paul George certainly belongs in that conversation. There have been few better than an At His Best Paul George. For examples, see his recent playoff series vs. Toronto, all of last November, November 2013, and certain games against the Heat in Indiana’s heyday.

At this point, it’s hard to say who is better — but one of the two has to be number three on the list.

To help settle the score in the ongoing debate over Kawhi Leonard vs. Paul George, Coach Nick of BBall Breakdown compared the two superstar wings in a must-watch seven-minute video.

He notes their differing offensive tendencies, which are of course at least in part due to the systems in which they play. PG runs the pick and roll and features in isolations a lot more than Kawhi, who spends one-fourth of his time in spot-up situations.

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Kawhi also posts up a ton and has become a lethal back-to-the-basket menace while Paul George really doesn’t do that at all. And even though each are huge threats from long range, Leonard’s preposterous make rate last year (44.3%) give him the leg up for now.

The question presented is of the talk radio, Twitter argument variety. Who is better? Paul George or Kawhi Leonard.

But ultimately, Coach Nick isn’t in that business.

He instead really offers a more nuanced look at their differences. He breaks down how PG is excellent on the left side off screens and prefers that side of the floor. He looks at how he gets few spot-up chances due to being a primary ballhandler more often than Kawhi, something that hopefully Nate McMillan can tweak this year now that Jeff Teague is in play.

Still, who is better?

It’s a difficult question that is almost too close to call. Last regular season, Kawhi was in the non-Steph Curry MVP debate and had the advantage in defense, consistency, team success, and overall consensus support.

Paul George ran wild over the Toronto Raptors in the playoffs, though, showing the world what a legend can do when he has to put a team on his back. While Kawhi is incredible in all facets of the sport, he still hasn’t really shown that so far in his career.

At the end of the day, a person’s preference reveals their allegiances or their taste in what a player should be. More steady and stoic or higher ceilings with quarter-long showings that blow your hair back?

Who you got?

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