Paul George versus Reggie Miller: Best Pacers Player Ever is….

Nov 22, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Indiana Pacers small forward Paul George (24) dunks the ball against the Boston Celtics during the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Paul George. Reggie Miller. Who is or will be the best Pacers player ever? I’m ready to answer this right now. Some might say it’s too soon to answer this, but I say, this is what sports people do. We talk up something to death, and then talk about it some more.

Bold Statement: Paul George is the better Pacers player right now AND will go down as the best Pacers player ever.

To some, this might not be so bold when you really step back and look at this. Paul George has one area of his game where he excels over the beloved Reggie Miller. Defense, defense, defense. Paul George has to go out some nights and guard the best player on the other side. Look at the playoffs of last season and see who George had to face in each round. Josh Smith of his then Atlanta Hawks. Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks. Finally, Lebron James of the Miami Heat. That’s who George was guarding for most of his time on the floor. I love Reggie Miller, even this site is named after him, but most nights, Miller didn’t have to worry about the best player on the other side. I will give you the 1998 Conference Finals going against Michael Jordan. That was probably the major time we saw Reggie Miller have to step up his defense and at the same time step up his offense.

To Reggie Miller’s credit, he’ll be known for his playoff performances. Paul George hasn’t quite built up that part of his resume. He disappeared a few years ago in that playoff series against Miami. Last season was really his first major time playing in the playoffs. To his own credit, he went out and got a triple double that first game of the playoffs. When I saw that, I thought, Paul George is going to be something. For all athletes, they are judged by postseason success. Just talk to former Indianapolis Colt, Peyton Manning. He got one ring and plenty of whispers around here went away. Talk to Lebron James who went out and got two rings to silence plenty of critics.

Now if Paul George can carry this team to the Finals and somehow win it, all conversation is done. I would go to say that even getting to the NBA Finals would help his cause plenty. I’ve even said now, I’m ready to call it done, which shows how much I believe in Paul George and where his game is going. This tweet sums it up best about Paul George’s career when it’s all said and done.