Patrick Patterson: Paul George's Tenacity at an 'All-Time High'

LA Clippers forward Patrick Patterson is buying some stock in Paul George's MVP campaign.

LA Clippers star Paul George has been on a tear to begin the 2020-21 NBA season, putting up MVP-caliber numbers through his first 14 games. The two-way wing is shooting an astonishing 50.5% from three-point range, pouring in 24.4 points and dishing out a career-high 5.6 assists in just over 34 minutes per game. 

Not only has he become one of the team's primary playmakers, but George has far and away been the most efficient shooter on the roster. Time will tell if that's sustainable, but everything about George has looked different this year — something his teammates seem to agree with as well. 

"Just seeing that killer instinct in his eye that he had in Indiana and his focus, it's through the roof right now," Patrick Patterson said during Friday's shootaround. "He's hungry. He wants to prove people wrong, prove people right and be the best Paul George he can be."

Additionally, Patterson said George's "tenacity and focus" are at an all-time high this season, which has propelled him to such a strong start.

If anybody on LA's roster is capable of gauging George's mentality compared to past seasons, it's Patterson. The veteran forward has played alongside him every year since the 2017-18 season, when they both joined the Oklahoma City Thunder. Patterson has also been on the receiving end of some of George's best postseason performances, as his Toronto Raptors faced-off with George's Indiana Pacers numerous times in the playoffs. 

Look for George to have another big game when the Clippers host his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, on Friday night.