NBA Fans Give Paul George New Nickname
NBA fans gave Paul George a new nickname this week. “Pandemic P” appears to be the 30-year-old’s new moniker – and it seems to be sticking.
George’s nickname has become something of a hot topic due to his poor showing thus far in the playoffs. Last year, he began calling himself “Playoff P” to highlight his ability to perform when the stakes are high.
Unfortunately, ever since adopting that nickname, George has underperformed in the postseason. Those issues are on full display this year, with his No. 2 ranked Los Angeles Clippers struggling mightily against the No. 7 ranked Dallas Mavericks. Currently, the series is tied at 2-2.
George came into Sunday’s outing shooting less than 30 percent from the field and just 23 percent from behind the arc. Things didn’t get much better for him in Game 4, where he ultimately finished with nine points after shooting 3-of-14 from the field.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, seven of George’s nine points came in the first quarter. He was essentially useless for the majority of his team’s stunning overtime defeat.
As he clanked shot after shot this weekend, Twitter decided to make his new nickname official.
Pandemic P one of the most disrespectful names I’ve seen
— Anthony (@OMGItsBirdman) August 23, 2020
Kawhi talking to Pandemic P after the game pic.twitter.com/lPISrF1uhz
— #FreeKZ🇨🇺 (@Igbowrld) August 23, 2020
Pandemic P is throwing the game pic.twitter.com/YBbO1dEZfq
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) August 23, 2020
Danny Green: “I’m prolly the worst shooter currently in the bubble”
Pandemic P: pic.twitter.com/Z7ScdZpkNu
— 𝗕𝗥𝗬💫 💜💛 (@BryMontana) August 23, 2020
Things have gotten so bad for George that a select group of Clippers fans have launched a petition to force him to play overseas.
— ً (@vertvsworld) August 23, 2020
“Society has passed the need for Paul George to play in the NBA,” it reads.
So far, the petition has recorded more than 3,000 signatures.
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Paul George Knows He Needs To Step Up
George, to his credit, is not shying away from the criticism. He is facing it head on.
“I’ve just got to stay with it. It’s a marathon, man, I’ve got to stay with it,” he said after Game 4.
“I thought early on I got a rhythm and then towards the third quarter there was a stretch where I just got out of rhythm and I was trying to find it. It was tough, it’s just tough for me right now.
“It’s hard to say because I’m getting the looks, the shots. The floor is open, the defenders aren’t great, but I’m just having a hard time finding the ball through right now.”
George also firmly believes that the reason why the Clippers and Mavericks are knotted at two games apiece right now is because of his poor play. If that improved, ever so slightly, this series would look vastly different in his estimation.
“If I make shots this series could be a little different,” he said. “And that’s obvious, of course.”
The reality is, with Dallas’ win on Sunday, the series is now 0-0 and a best-of-three. Nothing that has happened up to this point matters. It all rests on what is going to happen this week. If George can bounce back and start playing up to the level he has shown in the past, all will be forgotten and everyone will move on with their lives.
However, if his issues persist and the Clippers get upset by the Mavericks, George will almost certainly be the one everyone holds responsible.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
