George and Westbrook Named to All-NBA Teams

George Named to First Team, Westbrook Selected to Third Team 

OKLAHOMA CITY,– Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George was named to the 2018-19 All-NBA First Team and guard Russell Westbrook was selected to the 2018-19 All-NBA Third Team, it was announced today by the NBA. Oklahoma City is one of two teams to feature multiple players on the All-NBA Teams.

This represents the fifth All-NBA selection for George and the eighth time Westbrook has been named to an All-NBA Team. This also marks the first time George has been named to the All-NBA First Team. 

George averaged career highs in points (28.0, second in NBA), rebounds (8.2), assists (4.1) and steals (2.21, first in NBA). The only other player to average as many points, rebounds and steals in a season since steals became an official stat was Michael Jordan in 1988-98. Additionally, George recorded seven games with 40 points or more, the Thunder going undefeated when he did so. Among NBA leaders, George ranked first in deflections (3.8) and in loose balls recovered (2.1), second in points off opponent turnovers (4.9) and seventh in fast break points (4.5).

The six-time NBA All-Star made 292 three-point shots on the season, a personal and franchise best as well as the third most of all players this season (Harden, Curry). From Nov. 30 to March 5, he recorded 40-straight games with multiple threes, making him just the second player in NBA history to hold as long of a streak (Stephen Curry, 53).

George earned All-Defensive First Team honors this year after producing a streak of 18 games from Jan. 10 to Feb. 22 with at least one steal, just the second Thunder player to ever do so (Westbrook). He also drained four game-winning shots this season, including the first of his career, good for the most in the NBA this year and tied for the most in Thunder history (Westbrook, 2016-17). In clutch time, George ranked first in steals (13) and fifth in points (145). 

Westbrook recorded his third-straight season averaging a triple-double with his 22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds (first among guards) and 10.7 assists (first in NBA) along with 1.95 steals (fourth in NBA). He is the only player in NBA history to hold such an average across consecutive seasons. He also holds two scoring titles and led the league in assists last season, making him the first player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring in multiple seasons and in assists in multiple seasons.

In the April 2 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the 2016-17 NBA MVP recorded just the second 20/20/20 game in NBA history (Wilt Chamberlain 1968). In the last 20 years, there have only been three 20-point/20-assist triple-doubles and Westbrook owns all of them. In the Feb. 11 win over Portland, Westbrook logged his 10th-straight triple-double with 21 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, passing Wilt Chamberlain (1968) for the longest such streak in NBA history. 

The eight-time NBA All-Star ranked second in fast break points (5.2) and in loose balls recovered (1.9) this season. In the Nov. 1 win at Charlotte, he grabbed his 5,000th-career rebound, making him the only active player besides LeBron James with at least 17,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 6,000 assists. He is also just the 18th guard in NBA history to make this mark.