Indiana Pacers star Paul George has conceded that he isn’t sure whether or not he should return this season at the risk of disrupting the team.
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George suffered an horrific broken leg last summer ahead of the FIBA World Cup, and has since been sidelined and missed the entire season as he continues his recovery.
While he has been targeting a mid-March return, he is wary of the fact that his comeback could negatively impact on the team as they continue to surge in pursuit of a playoff spot.
The Pacers have won 13 of their 15 games and seven straight which has moved them up to seventh spot in the Eastern Conference with a 30-34 record.
They are currently a game-and-a-half better off than the Miami Heat in ninth place, and so would George returning ruin the balance that the team has seemingly found?
“I’m on the fence,” said George, IndyStar.com reports.
“Part of me is (thinking), they’re playing so well, they’ve come together, to shake up the chemistry and add another body, another player in there … I don’t want to be that guy that destroys what these guys have going.
“On the other hand, there’s a part of me that’s like, ‘I can definitely help.’ It’s a difficult point in my role right now, but we’ll take it day-to-day.”
Given George’s talent and ability to transform the Pacers from a good to great team, he will likely be restored to the starting line-up as soon as possible.
While he will need time to re-discover his rhythm and conditioning in competitive action, there is certainly a risk that it may take a little while for Indiana to adjust and welcome back their star man.
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