Paul George Announces Return from Injury: Top Takeaways from Press Conference

The Indiana Pacers announced on Saturday that Paul George, who's missed most of the season with a leg injury suffered while working with the United States national team last summer, would return to the lineup on Sunday against the Miami Heat.

George held media availability shortly after the decision was made public. Head coach Frank Vogel and team doctor Tim Hupfer joined him to discuss the return, which comes with six games left in the regular season and Indiana battling for a playoff spot.

Beforehand, the Pacers passed along comments from team President Larry Bird. He attempted to temper expectations by noting resuming game action is still part of the recovery process: 

Candace Buckner of The Indianapolis Star noted George was thrilled about getting a chance to play again in a competitive game:

The two-time All-Star expects to play low double-digit minutes on Sunday, per Jeremiah Johnson of Fox Sports Indiana:

George even joked about an Easter tie-in, as the team pointed out:

Mike Berman of CBS Indianapolis pointed out Vogel isn't expecting to see George at his absolute best until next season despite his return:

The head coach also said the team has been considering potential returns for the 24-year-old star since early March but decided to wait, according to Buckner:

Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports highlighted the fact Vogel doesn't plan to play George if the game is close late:

That said, Wheat Hotchkiss of the team's official site highlighted the fact Hupfer said there isn't an actual restriction on his minutes:

Steve Aschburner of NBA.com found that interesting:

The doctor is positive the leg will hold up just fine in game action, via Berman:

Ultimately, it's tough to know exactly what to expect from George over the next six games. While the Pacers would love to qualify for the postseason, his individual outlook is uncertain. Showing some positive signs without any injury setbacks would be a success.

Bird mentioned it's all part of an ongoing process to get him back to full strength. Building some confidence by playing some games will help accelerate that mostly because it can help him get over the mental hurdle that usually exists when coming back from a major injury.

The atmosphere inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday night should be electric.