Indiana Pacers fans and the NBA need to give Paul George his flowers

Despite getting eliminated in the hands of the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals, former Indiana Pacers superstar Paul George carried an injury-riddled LA Clippers squad and clinched for themselves a real shot at an NBA Finals berth before bowing down.

While he and his team ultimately came up short, there’s no doubt that PG-13 played outstanding basketball and showed tremendous leadership throughout their postseason run, a big response to the overblown flak he has been garnering in recent seasons for perceived playoff no-shows and disappointments.

Former Indiana Pacers superstar Paul George led the LA Clippers on the cusp of the NBA Finals, but a bruised roster caught up to them

Missing an All-NBA talent in Kawhi Leonard, as well as losing prized acquisition Serge Ibaka and later on, Ivica Zubac later in the series, the Clippers, while initially tabbed as title favorites, then bannered a roster of underdogs filled with veteran role players and unproven commodities. The trek towards an NBA Finals appearance, which would’ve been a first for the franchise, then became much rockier for the roster.

However, Paul George hoisted the team atop loopholes and deficits. First, against the top-seeded Utah Jazz, he led the Clips to a pivotal Game 5 win with the series tied 2-2 on the road without Leonard to the tune of 37 points, 16 rebounds and five assists. In Game 6, alongside a revelation in Terance Mann, he anchored LA in a furious 25-point comeback to upend Utah and clinch the  first Conference Finals appearance in  franchise history.

Just look at these numbers prior to last night’s affair:

While he was less efficient against the upstart Phoenix Suns, there’s no denying that his all-around play managed to convert some haters who rode the Pandemic P agenda into his panel of social media defenders. After all, the Clippers nearly carved themselves out of another 0-2 hole, managing to extend the series to six games with George leading the way, highlighted by a scintillating 41-13-6 performance in Game 5.

Paul “Playoff P” George deserves his flowers—and Indiana Pacers fans certainly know better

Long story short: Paul George delivered and he deserves a ton of credit for reminding everyone that false, yet popular narratives strike no perilous blow in a tussle with greatness. Now, I’d be lying if I said that I have an immaculate track record posting about the superstar on social media, but as DeMarcus Cousins said, we have to “give this dude his flowers”.

I’d be the first to admit that my admiration for George petered out when he rode the wave of stars jettisoning their small market teams, like the Indiana Pacers, in search of solace with the big markets, but inasmuch as fans of the Blue and Gold, including myself, feel an itch for remorse, we know better than most that Paul George was born for the big stage, despite his overwritten downs in previous years.

As we all know and probably cherish in sentimentality, it was Paul George who gave Indiana a chance to contend in the early 2010s. With Danny Granger’s injury-caused decline, he expedited a new wave of bruising, Pacers basketball which brewed a recipe for success. While the team never gotten over the hump that was LeBron James and his exit from the Circle City was as bitter as it could be, George’s contributions to the franchise are indelible.

Indiana Pacers fans and the NBA community at large owe Paul George a well-deserved ovation

Ultimately, we can’t deny that fans are temperamental and tend to get caught up in the moment—no matter if it’s positive or negative. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic and the season-long slew of injuries connote, greatness shouldn’t be taken for granted, even if our personal biases ought to keep blasting on social media.

Paul George is an extraordinary talent. The numbers and the eye test, despite popular belief, are all warm to this notion. Thus, Indiana Pacers fans who are still remorseful and fully pin the blame on him for his exit, as well as the NBA community at large should appreciate his greatness while it lasts. It’s time to give him his flowers.