NEW YORK — When Pacers head coach Frank Vogel called a timeout with 12.1 seconds left in the first half of yesterday’s matinee Game 1 matchup against the Knicks, Paul George wound up and launched a jumper, smooth as could be, from near mid-court.
The swish didn’t count, but it definitely drew a few appreciative cheers from the capacity home crowd at Madison Square Garden.
Out of the timeout, George inbounded the ball on the left side of the court, received a screen on his way into the paint from George Hill, waited patiently, and then faded into the corner off of a David West screen. He planted his feet firmly behind the 3-point line and buried a triple, extending the Pacers’ lead to six points, 52-46, heading into halftime.
We’ve been through nearly a full season seeing All-Star Paul George, but how did he progress so quickly at the offensive end? How are the Pacers leading the Knicks 1-0 after a 102-95 win on New York’s home floor?
“I’m only 19 and I have a lot of room to keep growing,” George told Draftexpress in the days leading up to the 2010 NBA Draft. “I know with the people around me and with my work ethic I’ll get to that next level. I won’t stop until I’m one of the elite players in the NBA.”
When the 6-8 swingman by way of Fresno State was chosen with the 10th pick in the 2010 Draft, there were zero questions regarding whether George had the athleticism and build of an NBA player. In his time at college, George displayed smoothness offensively and a willingness to defend that was lottery worthy.
When he came into the NBA, George brought a funky looking jump shot that corkscrewed on its way to the hoop.
Back then I was covering the Pacers while studying at Indiana University and had a chance to see the uber-athletic rookie on a consistent basis.
I quickly became fixated on one question: What happens if Paul George figures out how to release a basketball properly?