Paul George struggles in return, but Thunder win
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
(Photo by Pacers Sports and Entertainment)
INDIANAPOLIS — The story everyone wanted was Paul George vs. Victor Oladipo.
The story they got was Steven Adams.
Adams had a monster night with 23 points and 13 rebounds, leading the Thunder to a 100-95 win over the Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
As expected, Paul George was booed in his return to Indianapolis. It was a struggle for George offensively, as he scored 12 points on just 3-of-14 from the field. He was still able to play great defense and sealed the game with two free-throws late.
“I had an amazing seven years here,” George said after the game. “I was blessed to play in front of a great Indiana fan base. Ultimately I didn’t accomplish my goal here, and I’ve moved on. I’m grateful.”
Paul George talking about his time in Indy pic.twitter.com/THbSroTPU2
— Tyler Smith (@TylerSmith_ISL) December 14, 2017
The Pacers held OKC’s “big three” to 22% shooting on the night, yet were still unable to secure the victory. They gave up 17 offensive rebounds, and only attempted six free-throws on the night.
Russell Westbrook had one of his patented triple-doubles (10 points, 12 assists, 17 rebounds), but had the lowest field-goal percentage (3-of-17, 18%) in a triple-double since Lamar Odom back in 1999.
For the Pacers, Victor Oladipo led the way with 19 points but struggled from the field himself. He shot 9-of-26 for the night, including 1-of-9 from 3-point range.
“We’re disappointed, but it’s just one game,” Oladipo said. “We’ve just got to learn from it and get ready for Friday. We really wanted this game. Maybe we wanted it a little too much. But the beauty of basketball is that it’s just one game. That game is over and now we play on Friday. That’s what our mindset is.”
Pacers Coach Nate McMillan knows exactly what the team needs to improve on. “The physicality of the game, we’ve got to get stronger,” he said. “We’ve got to get more physical. That team showed us that when you’re playing against these elite teams, it’s going to be a physical game and we didn’t match that tonight.”
This was Indiana’s (16-12) first loss in their last five games. Despite the defeat, things couldn’t have turned out any better for the Pacers regarding the Paul George trade. It’s a team the city can be proud of, and the Pacers currently sit as the No.5-seed in the Eastern Conference.
“Vic is the face of Indiana,” George said. “Vic is the future of Indiana. He’s blessed. He’s talented. He’s what you want in a guy for a franchise.”
Paul George also said what we’ve all been thinking: “I’m glad the circus is over now and we can all move on.”
The Pacers won’t see their former star again this season, and now fans can get back to enjoying this team and what lies ahead.
