In 2010, Indiana Pacers small forward Paul George was somewhat of an unknown in the basketball world. In his final collegiate season at Fresno State, George averaged 16.8 points per game, but his team had a losing record. After two years at Fresno State, George declared himself eligible for the 2010 NBA Draft. Entering the draft most of the buzz was around the University of Kentucky duo consisting of point guard John Wall and center DeMarcus Cousins. The Washington Wizards used the first overall pick of the draft on Wall while the Sacramento Kings pegged Cousins with the fifth overall pick. Indiana owned the 10th overall pick of the draft and Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird used the selection on George.
In his rookie season with the Pacers, George averaged 7.8 points per game as he appeared in 61 games. In George’s second season, an injury to Pacers starting small forward Danny Granger put him in the starting lineup and he has not looked back since. George’s production has improved every year that he has been in the NBA. Last season George averaged 17.4 points per game as he became the first and only player from his draft class to be selected to the NBA’s All-Star team. In the process George was named as the NBA’s Most Improved Player for 2013 as he helped the Pacers reach the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
The Pacers were one game away from the NBA Finals last season as they fell to the Miami Heat in a grueling seven-game series. But the Pacers have returned focused this season on making only their second trip to the NBA Finals in franchise history with George leading the way.
This season George is fourth in the NBA in scoring at 25.1 points per game and he has become the face of the Pacers franchise.
Along with his scoring, George is averaging 5.8 rebounds per game with 3.4 assists and 2.1 steals per contest as he is quickly becoming one of the better all around players in the league; especially at the defensive end where he has emerged as one of the better wing defenders. If the NBA were Major League Baseball, George would be considered as a five-tool player because he can do numerous things extremely well.
At the quarter mark of the NBA season the Pacers have the league’s best record at 18-3 while George is a legitimate candidate to become the first Pacers player to be named as the league’s MVP. George has saved some of his best moments of the season for some of the biggest stages or against some of the better teams in the NBA. On November 20, George dropped 35 points on the New York Knicks at the legendary Madison Square Garden in a 103-96 Pacers victory. Two nights later George chimed in with 27 points in a Pacers 97-82 victory over the Boston Celtics. On the Pacers current West Coast road trip George is averaging 29.8 points per game as Indiana is 3-2 against on this road trip against some of the tougher teams in the NBA. George got the trip started by scoring 27 points in a 105-100 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center. Last Monday, George exploded for 43 points in a losing effort to the Portland Trailblazers. This past Saturday, George delivered 28 as the Pacers got their first victory against the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio for the first time since the 2001-2002 NBA season. In a blowout loss last night to the Oklahoma City Thunder, George still had 32 points.
Along with the Miami Heat, the Pacers are the class of an extremely weak Eastern Conference, but led by George, Indiana is out to take care of business. The scary thing about George is that he is only 23-years old.
Each starter on the Pacers roster is currently averaging double figures in points this season while power forward Luis Scola gives Pacers head coach Frank Vogel another player off of the bench that can explode for 20 points on a given night. The Pacers are as deep and as talented as any team in the NBA, but when Granger suffered his knee injury several years ago some people wondered who would emerge as the go-to guy for the Pacers? The answer has been George.
The Pacers don’t have the luxury of playing in one of the bigger markets in the NBA which means that they must put a heavier concentration of drafting and developing their talent. The Pacers organization has done it in the past with Granger and famed shooting guard Reggie Miller.
George would’ve had the opportunity to become a free agent after this season and take his talents to a bigger market as teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers were interested in him. But Bird and the Pacers were able to sign George to a five-year, $95 million extension to keep him in Indiana through 2019. George knew that the Pacers were so close in dethroning the Heat last season and he is back to hopefully finish the job. Tomorrow is never promised to anyone in the NBA and George is making the most of his opportunity now.
Source: Basketball-reference.com
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