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8p9s Roundtable: How Good Does Paul George Look So Far?

By Jared Wade

May 3, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard George Hill (3) and Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (24) talk during the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks in game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.Indiana won 92-80. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports
May 3, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard George Hill (3) and Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (24) talk during the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks in game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.Indiana won 92-80. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports /
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If the Pacers make the playoffs, should Paul George start?

Medworth: He seems to be doing well coming off the bench so far. With that said, the starters are mostly the same guys from last year, so Paul should be able to fit in fairly easily. This one is ultimately up to Coach Vogel. I can see it going both ways.

Ochoa: I like Paul George coming off the bench for limited minutes for the time being. The roster that is trying to get the Pacers to the playoffs, for the most part, did not include Paul George — so they should stick with what has worked for them this year as long as it fits within the game plan. If Paul George’s rehab miraculously speeds up within the next two weeks and he looks ready to start, then that’s another conversation.

Lukach: Yes? Unless you’re in love with the Solo, there’s not really a reason to continue leaving George on the bench, provided he can give you 20-25 minutes a night. Rodney Stuckey enjoys coming off the bench, and the Pacers have three other guys who see minutes at small forward in Solomon Hill, C.J. Miles, and Damjan Rudez. As long as he’s comfortable with it, doing as much as possible to get George comfortable again seems like a good move.

Bishop: No, keep him coming off the bench. The Pacers bench has played better than the starters on multiple nights this season. In the playoffs, the starters play most of the minutes but Paul could force the Hawks or the Cavs to adjust wing rotations that they may not be used to. And who knows how comfortable PG will be by the time the first round is here. He may still have wind in him.

Washburn: Yes. No question. By that point, he may only be able to go for 22-25 minutes, but I think his mere presence in the lineup would be a huge mental edge for the Pacers this season. The Pacers would also likely be matched up against the Hawks, and the upgrade from CJ Miles to Paul George, especially in terms of chasing around Kyle Korver, would be dramatic.

Next: Paul George in the Playoffs?

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