Paul George didn't make an appearance in the box score or in the postgame locker room. But if anyone had bothered to take votes for Player of the Game honors after the Pacers' 118-97 victory over Brooklyn Friday, he would have been a leading candidate.
George's impact on the victory that brought great relief to the two-game homecourt losing skid came after practice on Thanksgiving Day, when he gathered his teammates on the court about 15 minutes afterward to deliver a lecture on offense. It probably wasn't a coincidence that after failing to surpass 85 points in the previous two games the Pacers hit a season-best 55 percent of their field goal attempts – dropping below 60 only because of sloppy garbage time play in the final period – and passed out 25 assists.