The Indiana Pacers announced that Paul George has completed convalescence and will play Sunday versus the Miami Heat at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. George, the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2012-13, saw his scoring average rise to 19.2 points a game during the 2012-13 postseason, up from 17.4 in the regular season.
He helped lead the Pacers to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, where they lost to the eventual champion Miami Heat. In 2013-14, Paul George and the Pacers again advanced to the conference finals, but were again dispatched by the Heat.
George has missed the entire 2014-15 NBA season due to the injury he suffered in the summer. He broke his right leg during an intra-squad exhibition game in August while practicing with Team USA. This was in preparation for the World Cup of basketball, a tournament that drew very little interest and possessed little to no appeal. The competition had almost no real meaning and ended up having more down side than upside.
The George injury and it’s affect on the Pacers season conveys why NBA teams will be hesitant to let their players participate for the nation team in years to come.
“The recovery has been a long process and this is another step in the process,” said George in statement.
“I thank everyone, my family, friends, doctors, our training staff, coaches, the entire Pacers’ family for their support and encouragement. I’m excited, but at the same time I’m aware I’m still in a rehab stage and will continue to work to get back to full strength.”
“We’re happy to have Paul George back in uniform, and this is just another step in his rehabilitation from the injury,” read a statement from Pacers President Larry Bird.
“He has worked hard to get to this point and still has work to do, but it’s a positive step toward what we hope will be a full recovery at some point. His minutes will be limited in games he plays as we evaluate his progress moving forward.”
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. You can read Banks’ feature stories and op-eds in the Chicago Tribune RedEye newspaper and hear his regular guest spots on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
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