The Indiana Pacers may be without their best player against the Miami Heat on Saturday. Paul George was diagnosed with a concussion after an accidental collision with the Heat’s Dwyane Wade. There is no time table as to when George will be OK’d to play under the NBA’s concussion protocol process. So who steps up for the Pacers in George’s absence?
For a team that backed in to the playoffs (so bad, in fact, that some people had them being upset by the eight seeded Atlanta Hawks in the first round), the Pacers certainly look like a team capable of upsetting the Heat. After winning Game 1 with relative ease, they let game two slip away down the stretch. If the Pacers plan on taking back home-court advantage, they will need career performances from these three guys:
1. Lance Stevenson
Marc Lebryk, USA Today: Stephenson may need to step up if George is out.
Coming off what some may call his best postseason performance in Game 2, Stevenson will be leaned on Saturday if George is out. Stevenson’s 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds were a welcomed sight for the Pacers. The Heat were playing decent defense against George and David West, and it was Stevenson’s scoring that kept the Pacers in the game.
Stevenson will need another similar performance in Game 3. In fact, he may need to do more. It will be tough sledding for the shooting, however, as you can bet all the change in the center console of your car, that the Heat will turn their defensive efforts towards shutting down Stevenson knowing they won’t have to worry about George.
2. Roy Hibbert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVGMo3yYfBg
Hibbert took an absolute beating on social media with his lackluster performances against the Washington Wizards in the second round (zero points on 0-2 shooting in Game 6, for example). Through two games against the Heat, Hibbert looks like a different player. Not dominant, but different. You know, like a professional basketball player who is 18″ taller than most of us. Hibbert will need to play a higher level in Game 3 if the Pacers expect to win the game.
3. Evan Turner
You read that correctly. Evan Turner. The shooting guard/small forward has been out of the lineup with strep throat, but is expected back Saturday. The Pacers traded for Turner during the season for situations like this. Turner, who was putting up nice numbers early in the season for the Philadelphia 76’ers, would be a quick fix to fill the 21.5 points per game George is producing this postseason. If Turner can find open shots and hit a few shots from beyond the arch, he could be a spark the Pacers would desperately need.
Then again, George could be cleared to play in Saturday’s game and the above mentioned players may not be required to do much. Based on what we saw in Game 2, the Pacers would welcome some scoring from anyone on their roster.
Fans of the NBA want a good series between the Pacers and Heat, because they certainly aren’t getting that with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHX2X8Oo4r8
Photo: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports