Whether he wins or not, Monday is Paul George’s night. Whether he’s healthy or not, the Thunder’s upcoming season belongs to George, too.
The NBA Awards are Monday (8 p.m., TNT) and the Thunder forward has an opportunity to be just the second player in NBA history to win Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is the favorite for MVP, and Utah’s Rudy Gobert is likely to win Defensive Player of the Year, but George’s value across the league and to the Thunder has been made clear.
Monday's NBA Awards are the latest reminder of how important George has become to the franchise.