Paul George admits he was wrong about Damian Lillard's iconic playoff shot after remarkable NBA All-Star performance

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Paul George admits he was wrong about Damian Lillard's iconic playoff shot after remarkable NBA All-Star performance
Damian Lillard drains a buzzer-beating, series-clinching 37-footer over Paul George during the 2019 playoffs.Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
  • Damian Lillard famously hit a deep three over Paul George during the 2019 playoffs.
  • The shot ended the OKC Thunder's playoff run, and George called it a "bad shot" after the game.
  • Two years later, George admitted it was "a great shot" after the All-Star game.
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Anyone still sleeping on Damian Lillard's elite long-range shooting ability received a blistering wake-up call thanks to his standout performance during Sunday night's NBA All-Star game.

Even fellow All-Star Paul George - who has famously experienced the Portland Trail Blazer guard's lethal marksmanship first-hand - has finally come to appreciate Dame's greatness.

Paul George admits he was wrong about Damian Lillard's iconic playoff shot after remarkable NBA All-Star performance
Damian Lillard alerts fans that it's "Dame Time."Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

"I mean, I see this guy's range is crazy," George said after playing alongside Lillard for Team LeBron. "The ability to knock those shots down, it's not like it's a half-court heave. These are shots that are well in their range."

George was not nearly as impressed with Lillard's shooting prowess when it came at his and his teammates' expense. Dame ended the Blazers' five-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2019 playoffs by draining a buzzer-beating, game-winning 37-footer over George's outstretched hand. After the ball dropped through the net, the sharpshooter waved goodbye to the Thunder with a steely look on his face, likely prompting George's angry retort during his post-game press conference.

Paul George admits he was wrong about Damian Lillard's iconic playoff shot after remarkable NBA All-Star performance
Damian Lillard waves goodbye to Paul George and the Oklahoma City Thunder.Steve Dykes/Getty Images

"That's a bad, bad shot," George said at the time. "I don't care what anybody says. That's a bad shot."

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It wasn't, and anyone who had ever watched Lillard play knew it. George faced plenty of blowback for the comment, but he refused to recognize his error publicly for nearly two years.

Paul George admits he was wrong about Damian Lillard's iconic playoff shot after remarkable NBA All-Star performance
Paul George, who now plays for the Los Angeles Clippers.Alonzo Adams/AP Images

On Sunday, George watched as Dame exploded for 32 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the floor and 50% from beyond the arc. And after Lillard iced the All-Star game with an astounding - but no longer surprising - 40-foot game-winner, George finally admitted his mistake.

"Well, I guess I was criticized for the right reason for calling Dame's shot in the playoffs a bad shot," George said. "It's a great shot. Two thumbs up."

Check out George's full answer about Lillard and the newly-defined shooting range in the NBA below:

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