AP Photo/Mark J. TerrillPaul George, Los Angeles Clippers' star, believes that he is subject to excessive criticism due to his performance in the NBA playoffs."I do. He said it outright after his team's win over the Phoenix Suns, 116 to102, in Game 5 of Western Conference Finals. It's a fact. It's not something I can worry about. It's part of the job, I suppose."George pointed out towards the end of his remarks that All-Stars are held up to a higher standard at this stage in the season. Sports are a results-based industry, so marquee names should be expected to do their best in the biggest games.Michael Jordan wasn't immune to the criticisms. Many wondered if the Chicago Bulls could overcome the hump that they had before their 1991 title.George has provided ammunition to his opponents, starting with the "PlayoffP" moniker. You run the risk of giving yourself a name that doesn't work out.As the Clippers tried to win Game 4 against Phoenix, the seven-time All-Star failed three of his four last free throws.The Clippers collapsed last year. He shot 39% from the field, scoring 20.2 points per game in the 2020 playoffs. This is not the type of production that the team wanted.George was also 2-of-16 on the floor when the Oklahoma City Thunder lost to the Utah Jazz in the first round of 2018.However, the 2019 playoffs gave credence to his Monday night remarks.Everyone remembers Damian Lillard's buzzer-beater win over George in Game 5, and how the Thunder waved goodbye. George scored 36 points, had nine rebounds and three assists in Game 5 and averaged 28.5 points per game.George is like most things, truth lies somewhere in the middle. George has had some disappointing playoff performances and received some criticism. Sometimes, negative comments can be too harsh and he will ignore them when he supports his team. Monday was a good example of this. He finished with 41 points and 13 rebound.
