Paul George on Playing the 4: “Maybe It’s Something We Can Go Away From”

No plan survives first contact with the enemy, and that may be playing out with the Pacers’ small ball experiment, if post-game comments of the star and centerpiece – Paul George – are any indication.

“I don’t know if I’m cut out for a 4 spot. I don’t know if this is my position … It’s still something I have to adjust to — or maybe not. Or maybe it’s something we can go away from.” – Paul George

The Pacers opened the preseason by hosting the New Orleans Pelicans. This, of course, meant that Paul George’s first live experience as the starting power forward for the Pacers involved guarding Anthony Davis. Welcome to the deep end, Paul.

The Pacers fell to the Pelicans, 110-105 – trailing by as many 18 points before a garbage-time run made the score much closer than the game. The entire team is learning a new system on the fly, and that showed up most on the defensive end – especially on the glass. Indiana gave up 36 points in the first quarter and 31 more in the second to trail 67-53 at the break.

In a lot of ways, stretches of the first half were the worst case scenario for a Pacer transition to the new smaller-faster style. What we saw was a team that couldn’t control the paint (outscored 34-18 in Points in the Paint) or their defensive glass (13 ORBs allowed, 21 Pelican Second Chance Points), while being unable to execute, offensively (5-for-23 from three, 10 turnovers).

Paul George’s results were decidedly mixed. He clearly struggled guarding Anthony Davis, who scored 18 points and had 6 boards in 15 minutes. George’s lack of experience at the 4 also contributed heavily to the Pelicans’ success on the offensive glass. However, the Pacer star looked healthy and confident – perhaps the most important news of the evening – and scored most of his 12 first quarter points against an Anthony Davis that struggled to keep up with him in space.

The first preseason game rarely shows you any long-term truths, though. The Pacers have only put in four days of training camp practice so far, and Frank Vogel admitted after the game that they had not spent very much time on defense, yet. Truth be told, growing pains should be no surprise, and Paul George and the Pacers can and will get better playing this new style – given time and commitment.

However, while the game and box score are of little long term importance, Paul George’s post-game comments might have longer legs.

Coming out of the shower late, George was asked how comfortable he was with being a power forward. Echoing comments made on media day, Paul said, he is “still trying to wrap my mind around it.”

“Offensively, I’m comfortable and confident playing with a 3 guarding me or a 4 guarding me,” he said. “The fact of me having a big on me doesn’t change my mindset or make me think it’s any easier, offensively. It’s almost like I’m doing more, because I know I have the mismatch.”

“It’s not just myself … We all talk. A couple other guys are uncomfortable with how we’re going to run things.” – Paul George

It’s at the other end Paul is finding this change difficult to embrace.

“Defensively, it’s rough. It’s rough,” George said. “It’s an adjustment, because I’m not used to doing some of the things out there, and I’m exerting more energy — it feels like — from having to hedge on a ball screen, get back down low to a shot going up, now having to box out. So I don’t know. I don’t know.”

Change is never easy, and adapting to it is rarely quick. Paul was asked how long it would take for him to know whether this would work or not. His answer implied it might never happen.

“I don’t know if I’m cut out for a 4 spot,” said George. “I don’t know if this is my position. We’ll sit and watch tape. I know I’ll talk to coach. I’ll talk to Larry as well. I’m still not comfortable with it, regardless of the situation. It’s still something I have to adjust to — or maybe not. Or maybe it’s something we can go away from.”

When asked if he thought the preseason was a good time to experiment with the new style, he seemed unconviced that it was worth the time. “Honestly, I’d rather build on what we’re going to do going into the season,” he said. “We’re playing around with this style now, trying to figure things out.”

According to George, he’s not the only one feeling this way. “It’s not just myself,” he said. “Four other guys out there, it’s an adjustment for them. We all talk. A couple other guys are uncomfortable with how we’re going to run things.”

Still, George acknowledged a very important truth. “It’s new to everyone,” he said. “It’s new to everybody. This is what preseason’s for. It’s game one. We’ve just gotta build off it.”

When asked about what made him most uncomfortable about his new role, Paul responded, “Just knowing where I’m supposed to be.

“Playing the 3 spot, I always had the luxury of helping the bigs rebound,” George said. “[The bigs] do so well battling down low, and I’m able to come and jump and get those rebounds by being athletic. Can’t do that at the 4 spot. These guys are strong and big. It’s almost like I’m just trying to keep them on my back, but they got me in size. That’s the toughest part.”

All of this was painfully obvious, if you watched his lesser moments throughout the game.

“Defensively, it’s rough. It’s rough. It’s an adjustment, because I’m not used to doing some of the things out there, and I’m exerting more energy.” – Paul George

Which brought him to the question at the crux of the issue. Someone asked him, “Would you like to slow things down, bring in another big, go back to more traditional approach?”

Paul George smiled. “I’m not saying it, but that definitely felt more comfortable.”

His delivery made it clear to everyone in the gaggle that Paul didn’t necessarily want to not say it.

The job of changing the plodding, physical Pacers into one that more closely fits the mold of a “modern” NBA contender was always going to be a huge task. It was always going to take time. In a lot of ways, what Paul George is doing here reflects most poorly on Paul George himself. In no way can he say that he’s given this an honest chance to succeed.

However, in other ways, Larry Bird and Frank Vogel are as – if not more – responsible for the brewing predicament as Paul George. Bird has altered the course of the franchise and simply expected the coach, the star, and the team to follow without question. Vogel has tried to be a good soldier, but has also temporized, expressing doubts of his own.

This leaves the Pacers’ three most important men pulling in different directions, undercutting any ability to create a consensus and build momentum to the new identity. It’s only one preseason game, and this change was not going to happen overnight. Still, if these three aren’t pointing to the same goals, then the Pacers will drift further away from their desired return to contention.

Next: Thrilled or Not, Paul George Must Recreate Indiana's Identity

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