RealGM

INDIANAPOLIS -- Because of their exposure and their hometown, it's so tempting to focus on the cratering Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith and the once mighty New York Knicks offense as they keep weakly losing against the Indiana Pacers.

Not only is that unfair, it's also missing the point. The 3-1 series lead the Pacers have established after Tuesday's 93-82 win is more about the national coming out party for Paul George than anything else.

The third-year wing is showing off a defensive skill set and confidence that is beyond his years. He's doing so on a huge stage while facing an immense challenge of dealing with the NBA scoring champ who was having the best season of his career.

George's lockdown of Anthony has been the crux of this series, the center point of a Pacers' masterpiece defensive scheme that has arrested the once heavily-favored Knicks and left them pointing fingers at each other and cursing on national television.

This has already been a leap season for George as he made his first All-Star appearance in February. But in the playoffs he's taken it to another level, and it's already tempting to consider how he'd handle the assignment of LeBron James in what is shaping up to be the likely Eastern Conference finals matchup.