Houston Rockets debate: Did Paul George throw shade at James Harden?

With LA Clippers star Paul George is facing backlash for appearing to insult Houston Rockets superstar James Harden. Our site experts debate his intent.

Following the LA Clippers’ Game 3 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, six-time NBA All-Star and 2019 MVP finalist Paul George raised eyebrows with his postgame comments. Houston Rockets star James Harden was trending following George’s media availability session, as he appeared to catch a stray bullet from George.

George was coming off yet another dismal performance, which isn’t surprising for those who have paid close attention to the Clippers-Mavericks series. In Game 2, George finished with 14 points on 4-of-17 from the field and 2-of-10 from three, which was a major factor in the Clippers losing.

George fared even worse in Game 3, as he finished with just 11 points on 3-of-16 from the floor and 1-of-8 from three — although the Clippers won the game, in large part because of Kawhi Leonard’s 36 points. George was asked by  Clippers beat writer Tomer Azarly about his performance and had the below to say.

Paul George – “Like I said, I’m no James Harden, that’s not my knack, to just shoot the ball and score the ball. I can, and I pride myself on being effective on both ends, but it’s gonna be nights like this where I can’t make shots and I can’t allow that to affect my game.” pic.twitter.com/AzRo673w7k

— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) August 22, 2020

“I’m no James Harden, that’s not my knack, to just shoot the ball and score the ball. I can, and I pride myself on being effective on both ends, but it’s gonna be nights like this where I can’t make shots and I can’t allow that to affect my game.”

George’s comments have been widely discussed on NBA Twitter, as many believe he was throwing shade at James Harden, while others think it was just a poor choice of words and a bad formulation of his sentences. We decided to break down George’s comments and delve into what he may or may not have been trying to say.

Our two site experts, myself (Anthony Duckett) and Josh Paredes, each give our argument regarding what Paul George meant with his comments. First up, the prosecution.

Next: Why George doesn't deserve a pass