Paul George Injury: Updates on Pacers Star's Calf and Return
Indiana Pacers forward Paul George was carried to the bench in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's season-ending matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies after suffering an apparent injury to his left calf.
Continue for updates.
George Discusses New Injury
Thursday, April 16
George talked about the injury on Thursday, via Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star:
""Just came off a screen and felt a pop, but they looked at it and it's nothing more than just a calf strain," George said, slowly. "It wasn't a knee injury but it's tough, you work so hard in rehab and have something else pop up. The good thing is, I know we've got a long summer and a lot to look forward to."
George, who walked on his own inside the locker room but limped significantly, described a wait-and-see plan to examine how the calf reacts overnight. He was uncertain if he would undergo an MRI after returning to Indianapolis. ...
"I just felt it," George said. "I knew it wasn't nothing good."
"
The Pacers announced on Wednesday that George was questionable to return with what's being categorized as soreness in his calf. In obvious pain, teammates Donald Sloan and David West carried George to the bench in a scene that looked far more dire than it turned out to be.
He scored two points and had four rebounds in 15 minutes before exiting, struggling most of the night on both ends of the floor. The former All-Star was 1-of-5 from the field and committed five personal fouls.
In his sixth game since returning from a broken leg suffered during a Team USA scrimmage last summer, George looked noticeably out of sorts as he worked his way back into game shape. He did not play more than 18 minutes in any of his appearances, though a potential playoff run for Indiana kept hope alive that he'd return to form.
With this appearing to be a minor injury, odds are George's body is feeling the effects of a return to the NBA grind. It's also possible he isn't entirely comfortable on his right leg—the one he injured during the summer—and has been overcompensating on his left.
Either way, with the Pacers out of the playoffs, George will have the entire offseason to get his body back to full strength.
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