Paul George’s only game in Indianapolis, where he was drafted and spent his first seven NBA seasons, is set for Wednesday night and it will air nationally on ESPN. Reunion games are fun.
He’s already gotten their first meeting out of the way, in Oklahoma City on on Oct. 25, a 114-96 Thunder win. George, whose agent informed Pacers President Kevin Pritchard that he would not exercise his player option for the 2018-19 season, never had a chance to have a good game, strapped with foul trouble throughout the game.
George finished with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting and fouled out after just 19 minutes of on-court time.
[Kevin Pritchard on Paul George’s change of heart: ‘A total gut-punch’]
Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, part of the three-player trade, are thriving in Indy. Oladipo is averaging a career-best 24.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game, and he’s shooting 48.5 percent from the floor. He’s playing at an All-Star level.
Sabonis, just in his second season, is averaging 12.1 points and 8.5 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench.
LISTEN: ESPN’s Royce Young on Paul George in OKC
The Pacers held practice Tuesday at St. Vincent Center, and then reiterated the same message: It’s just another game.
Watch below as Oladipo, Sabonis, coach Nate McMillan, Lance Stephenson, and Thad Young discuss Wednesday’s matchup with the Thunder:
Paul George says he expects to hear boos.
Paul George says he expects boos during tomorrow’s return to Indiana: “Pacers fans outweigh the Paul George fans” pic.twitter.com/J9HNQaL4z3
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) December 12, 2017