As I type this post, it is unclear whether or not George Hill will take the floor in Game 6 for the Indiana Pacers. The concussion that kept Hill out of Game 5 has potentially much more important consequences than any associated with the outcome of the current Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Knicks. (UPDATE: He will play.)
Still, in the immediacy of the moment, it is hard to suppress the emotional urgency of the question, “Will Hill play?” In that context, it’s worth taking some time to explore what it is that George Hill brings to this squad.
Hill’s importance to this team comes on many different levels. The one most readily apparent to even casual observers is the lack of depth at his position. D.J. Augustin has played some big games in this series, but few would argue that he isn’t a significant step down from Hill at both ends.
Beyond that, Indiana is faced with a choice between using Lance Stephenson, out of position, and Ben Hansbrough. In the 9 minutes Lance played the point in Indina’s Game 5 loss, the Pacers managed only 74 points per 100 possessions while shooting under 30%. Ben Hansbrough is…well…Ben Hansbrough.
Link- http://www.eightpointsnineseconds.com/2 ... he-pacers/