OT: Paul George injured in USA Basketball

[Jamaaliver]

LAS VEGAS -- Indiana Pacers star Paul George suffered an apparent severe lower right leg injury Friday night during the Team USA intrasquad showcase game at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center.

George's leg landed and then buckled at the base of the basket stanchion after he fouled James Harden on a drive to the basket just 27 seconds into the fourth quarter.

I did not see the video, but I hear it's pretty gruesome. My heart goes out to the guy.

On the bball side of things, this could be big. Could change the landscape of the EC altogether. I already thought we'd be likely to make the 2nd round with this roster. But with the right match-up, might we sneak into the Final Four?

With out PG and Lance, Indy is likely a non-factor in the playoff race this year.

What do we think, fellas?

What's the the new pecking order in the East?

Does this open the door for our first Conf Finals appearance?

Any concerns regarding our Olympic Hopefuls getting hurt?

Can George recover from this and be a top player again?

[Jamaaliver]

1. I think the top teams are:

Cavs
Bulls
Raptors
Wizards
Hawks

2. My condolences to P George, his family and Pacers fans everywhere.

[ATL Boy]

This Injury was HORRENDOUS. It looked like Kevin Ware's from a couple years ago.

[azuresou1]

Freakishly disgusting... and ESPN insists on replaying it over and over... keep it classy ESPN

[Hawk Eye]

1. I think the top teams are:

Cavs
Bulls
Raptors
Wizards
Hawks

2. My condolences to P George, his family and Pacers fans everywhere.

If PG doesn't return for the upcoming season AND Horford can stay healthy then I'd order it like this.

1. Bulls
2. Cavs
3. Hawks
4. Raptors
5. Wizards

In all seriousness though..that injury was gruesome, like Kevin Ware gruesome. My thoughts and prayers are going to out to Paul George and his family.

[PandaKidd]

Bulls
Cavs
......
Everyone else

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[MaceCase]

The new runaway leader for which team had the worst off-season are the Pacers. The magnifying glass will be right over Hibbert now, he simply can't afford another swoon this season because he no longer has Stephenson's antics or George to act as lightning rods for him.

As to the injury, if he's "lucky" and the damage is mostly to the bones rather than any accompanying ligaments or muscles then he has a much shorter recovery to look forward to.

[atlantabbq99]

WOW, this throws the Pacers into lottery team contention.

Extremely sad, this might have just ended George's career

[ATL Boy]

sadly his career might be in jeopardy in a worst case scenario. Even if he comes back and plays again, how could he return his former self when he he'll always have that "what if it happens again" mentality always lingering in the back of his mind, I mean who wouldn't? The mental recovery from this injury will be just as long as the physical recovery imo

[ATLHawksfan21]

Best wishes to Paul. It sounds like no ligaments were damaged so he should be able to return to 100%.

I would guess that indy will be in the lottery now which opens up another opportunity for the nets to avoid the lottery which sucks.

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[PandaKidd]

Compound fractures dont really end careers so lets not go overboard here. He had no ligament damage, just a clean break.

For reference, Wares was FAR WORSE and he was playing basketball 7 months later (Broke his leg in March during NCAA Tournament, suited up and played during March Madness in Nov although he had been practicing since October).

PG , if he recovers fast (we will know in the next 3 months) he could be back All Star Break or March.

[Jamaaliver]

Compound fractures dont really end careers so lets not go overboard here. He had no ligament damage, just a clean break.

PG , if he recovers fast (we will know in the next 3 months) he could be back All Star Break or March.

AS Break seems really optimistic. Especially if pacers are as bad as we suspect and are in the basement. No need to rush him back in hopes of an 8th seed. Not to mention rehab and getting back in shape, getting back in bball rhythm. If he's not back an March and Pacers are in line for a lottery pick, no way Bird allows him to play at all next season. Not with a chance to finally get him some help from the draft.

Pacers will tank for a year the way ATL should have when Horford went down.

[ATL Boy]

Compound fractures dont really end careers so lets not go overboard here. He had no ligament damage, just a clean break.

For reference, Wares was FAR WORSE and he was playing basketball 7 months later (Broke his leg in March during NCAA Tournament, suited up and played during March Madness in Nov although he had been practicing since October).

PG , if he recovers fast (we will know in the next 3 months) he could be back All Star Break or March.

Thankfully it was just a clean break and there was no ligament damage like with say, Marcus Lattimore. But to be fair, I think many of us were fearing a career ending injury before the diagnosis was revealed.

[PandaKidd]

Compound fractures dont really end careers so lets not go overboard here. He had no ligament damage, just a clean break.

PG , if he recovers fast (we will know in the next 3 months) he could be back All Star Break or March.

AS Break seems really optimistic. Especially if pacers are as bad as we suspect and are in the basement. No need to rush him back in hopes of an 8th seed. Not to mention rehab and getting back in shape, getting back in bball rhythm. If he's not back an March and Pacers are in line for a lottery pick, no way Bird allows him to play at all next season. Not with a chance to finally get him some help from the draft.

Pacers will tank for a year the way ATL should have when Horford went down.

East is so weak, if the Pacers somehow hold to a 4th seed dont be so sure.

Personally if I was them, i might blow it all up. Trade HIbbert and West and start over.

[ATLHawksfan21]

Compound fractures dont really end careers so lets not go overboard here. He had no ligament damage, just a clean break.

PG , if he recovers fast (we will know in the next 3 months) he could be back All Star Break or March.

AS Break seems really optimistic. Especially if pacers are as bad as we suspect and are in the basement. No need to rush him back in hopes of an 8th seed. Not to mention rehab and getting back in shape, getting back in bball rhythm. If he's not back an March and Pacers are in line for a lottery pick, no way Bird allows him to play at all next season. Not with a chance to finally get him some help from the draft.

Pacers will tank for a year the way ATL should have when Horford went down.

East is so weak, if the Pacers somehow hold to a 4th seed dont be so sure.

Personally if I was them, i might blow it all up. Trade HIbbert and West and start over.

The Pacers a 4 seed with no George or Lance? I'm not seeing it.

The East will be stronger than it was last year and the Central division improved the most.

Cleveland and Chicago improved tremendously.

Detroit found a couple of shooters to help the stretch the floor and have a huge upgrade at coach with Van Gundy. No more of Josh Smith chucking 3's as a 3 this season. They should be a good bit better than last season.

The Bucks should also be better with a healthy Larry Sanders, the addition of Parker and another year of growth with Giannis.

[PandaKidd]

looks good on paper.

But there are so many things we cant even comprehend that will happen. I said DONT BE SURPRISED, not that I am betting on it.

What if Rose goes down hurt or Pau has foot problems again.

You are discounting the fact that Hibbert COULD turn into a top 5 Center again. Their team is deep enough that they wont implode

[ATLHawksfan21]

looks good on paper.

But there are so many things we cant even comprehend that will happen. I said DONT BE SURPRISED, not that I am betting on it.

What if Rose goes down hurt or Pau has foot problems again.

You are discounting the fact that Hibbert COULD turn into a top 5 Center again. Their team is deep enough that they wont implode

Hibbert was a top 5 center for one series in his entire career and thats only because miami was playing extreme small ball.

I will take chicago over a george/stephenson less pacers even if they lost rose or pau.

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[PandaKidd]

Again, you are not reading what im saying.

I said DONT BE SURPRISED. They still have 2 All Stars. Reports are that Hill has been in the gym the entire summer working on his game. They will be better than you think IMO.

[ATLHawksfan21]

Again, you are not reading what im saying.

I said DONT BE SURPRISED. They still have 2 All Stars. Reports are that Hill has been in the gym the entire summer working on his game. They will be better than you think IMO.

I won't be surprised. I will be SHOCKED. Hill can work on his game all season and he still won't be a legit playmaker at the PG position. Hibbert may have won an all-star bid but he certainly doesn't play like one. Who's the other all-star? West? West is solid, but that frontcourt relied on George and Stephenson to make plays and get them the ball in good spots. They won't have that luxury any more. They won't have the luxury of having elite defenders on the wing either.

Hibbert will be exposed even more without Stephenson and George.

[PandaKidd]

Ok pacers will suck. Point noted