The Indiana Pacers are 11-2 over their last 13 games. Frank Vogel’s team has quietly surged to playoff positioning on the strength of basketball’s best record since February 1, boasting the league’s fourth-best offense and second-best defense in the process.
At 28-34, Indy is eighth in the Eastern Conference and seems primed to continue moving up the standings – whether Paul George returns from August’s devastating injury this season or otherwise. And though the Pacers’ hopes to play postseason spoiler would seemingly hinge on that possibility more than anything else, Vogel insists his squad isn’t even considering it.
Via Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press:
“Honestly, we’re not even thinking about Paul George right now,” coach Frank Vogel said. “Hopefully he can make it back this year and get in some games, but how effective is he going to be having not played in a year? This is a serious injury. He still has a lot of hurdles to pass before he’s even able to get back on the court.
“So our whole approach has been that he’s not going to play with us this year. Even right now, we’re trying to become the best possible team we can without him and if he gets back, that’s just going to be a bonus.”
While we understand the sentiment behind Vogel’s remarks, they also ring hollow – Indiana is definitely wondering just how good it could be with George back on the floor.
But it will be for naught, of course, if the Pacers can’t capitalize on their midseason run and make the playoffs. Things set up perfectly for Indy to do so just as it began playing so well, too: The Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat lost lost Brandon Jennings and Chris Bosh for the year, respectively; the Boston Celtics’ roster overhaul continued; and the Charlotte Hornets’ Kemba Walker was sidelined indefinitely.
It would be a minor surprise by this point if the Pacers didn’t garner a playoff spot, basically, despite the fact their record is the same as ninth-place Miami’s. Wouldn’t George not only ensure they play in April, but also give them a far better chance of pulling off the upset against the Atlanta Hawks or Cleveland Cavaliers?
Adding talent always helps, especially one who makes hay on the defensive end. But integrating a player of George’s offensive mindset complicates things – whether he’s returning from months on the sideline or not. As Vogel indicates, it’s unfair to expect the three-time All-Star to immediately regain his ball-dominant, playmaking form whenever he makes his first appearance.
For now, all Indy can do is continue playing well and hope George makes good on his mid-March target date to play. But rest assured, the Pacers are definitely thinking about him in the back of their minds at the very least – just like their prospective playoff competition.
[AP]
