Thunderous Intentions
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OKC Thunder TIP3 queries 8 points, 9 seconds on Pacers

By Tamberlyn Richardson

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 25: Paul George #13 of the OKC Thunder playing defense during a game against the Indiana Pacers at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 25, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 25: Paul George #13 of the OKC Thunder playing defense during a game against the Indiana Pacers at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 25, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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OKC Thunder vs. Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – APRIL 20: Paul George /

Hughes offers his take on PG 13:

The year before George’s injury, the Pacers won 56 games and were the no. 1 seed. The two seasons after he returned, Indiana won 45 and 42 games–nabbing the seventh seed both times. The change in competitiveness had nothing to do with George; it was the team around him. In 2015-16, George’s first year back, Indiana had Monta Ellis in what used to be Lance Stephenson’s spot as the starting two-guard before he left in free agency in the summer of 2014.

In the summer of 2015, Roy Hibbert was traded and David West departed for the Spurs. Essentially, from George’s last game pre-injury to the beginning of his first full season back, Indiana had lost its identity. George was there, George Hill and Frank Vogel were there, but what they had built was gone.

Indiana limped through that season, trying to figure out who to start at the four as well as the Hill-Ellis backcourt. But, they made it to the postseason, George stepped up and they almost took out the second-seeded Raptors.

Then, in the summer of 2016, George Hill was traded and the team moved on from Frank Vogel.

George was last of Bird era Pacers:

George was now the last remaining starter from the Heat-Pacers conferences finals matchups. He had Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young–two solid starters but nothing more–and rising-but-not-quite-there Myles Turner. George was going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting.

There was minimal heavy lifting throughout the regular season, and they needed a Stephenson return at the very end of the season to even make the playoffs. Once they got there, though, George was excellent once again. It was a four-game sweep by the Cavaliers, but Indiana only lost by a combined 16 points.

George didn’t do much to help his situation, but he was certainly not the main culprit. If blame had to be placed on any one man, it would be Larry Bird.

Bird did good in turning Hill to Teague and a pick into Young, as well as drafting Turner. But he missed too much in free agency, and not retaining Vogel may have been the ultimate vibe-killer for George.

I think George could succeed as a second banana. His game is tailor built to play alongside a ball dominant star, with his off-ball shooting and defensive acumen. He can be the ultimate compliment to a LeBron James or James Harden. Russell Westbrook, maybe not as much–though it’s still early.

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