The Indiana Pacers thought superstar Paul George would be out for the season when he suffered a gruesome leg injury during a Team USA scrimmage this summer, but George is back fully healthy and will make is debut Sunday against the Miami Heat.
Indiana needs him as they're fighting to claim one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, but what can the Pacers realistically expect from George?
3) Limited minutes
George hasn't played competitive basketball in almost a year, so it's going to take him a few games to get his legs underneath him. Everyone would love to see the player who has led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals each of the last two seasons, but he won't be that guy right away. Head coach Frank Vogel said George will only play around 10-15 minutes against Miami - expect him to stick to that plan with a slight increase every game.
2) More team confidence
The Pacers are still in playoff contention despite not having their best player for almost all of the season. Now that George is back (though it's in limited capacity), his teammates should get a confidence boost knowing they now have that something extra they need to possibly get over the hump and into the postseason.
1) More opportunities for everyone else
Even though George will be taking minutes from others in the rotation, he is a premier offensive threat that will draw the attention of the opposing defense. That will create more opportunities for everyone else, giving Indiana's offense a boost as a whole. The Pacers rank in the bottom fifth of the NBA in points per game, and George's presence should give them a boost during the last few games of the regular season.
Follow our Indiana Pacers team page for all the latest Pacers news and rumors!
Back to the Indiana Pacers Newsfeed