George Hill sparks Pacers win in his return
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — The Pacers received an early Christmas present on Tuesday night: The return of point guard George Hill. Though he came off the bench and was limited to 21 minutes of action, Hill still led the Pacers with 15 points on way to an impressive 96-84 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
“He looked great out there,” Coach Frank Vogel said after the game. “He made a lot of heady offensive plays and played a great basketball game at both ends.”
David West added: “We need his IQ and ability. He’s the head of the snake for us. We need him out there.”
George Hill was just excited to get back on the court: “I just tried to focus on playing each play hard and try to win the game. Outside of being in shape, I felt fine. It’s not 100% but I try to do the best I can and try to help this team get over the hump.”
Hill may have sparked the win, but it was a total team effort. Every Pacer that played tonight had at least six points, and six players scored in double-figures. David West scored 13 points to go along with seven rebounds and five assists in a very solid all-around effort. The Pacers shot 50% from the field for the second straight game- something they hadn’t done all season prior.
It was also a solid defensive effort from the blue and gold. Roy Hibbert set the tone on the defensive end early in the game, recording seven blocks in the 1st half. For the game, the Pacers held the Pelicans to 33-of-83 shooting (39.8%). David West commented on the good team defensive effort: “We just tried to make things difficult for them, and it worked out for us.”
It hasn’t always been pretty on the offensive end for this Pacers team. Coach Vogel is still pleased with the effort and believes the shots will start falling: “I think we’ve played the right way all year. Shots haven’t always fallen. But this team is committed to making the extra pass and our player movement is better. When you have good ball movement, it will come.”
After a second straight win, the Pacers are hoping to build off these last few games and try to hang around in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Follow Tyler on Twitter: @TylerSmith_ISL
