After suffering a gruesome leg injury last summer, Indianapolis expected Paul George to miss the entire 2014-15 campaign.
On Tuesday, team president Larry Bird wasn’t so definite that George wouldn’t play this season.
George recently has participated in light practice and even has been able to dunk.
“It seems like every week Paul is getting better and better,” Bird told the Indianapolis Star. “So if we do have an opportunity to get into the playoffs and (George) can get some games under his belt and get ready to go next year. I always say if a player is ready to play, they gotta play. We’re not going to hold him back if he’s able to go out there and play.”
Even without their star, the Pacers are only four-and-a-half games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference heading into Tuesday’s games.
Bird said he had no clue if George will play, but if George is healthy and says he can play, fans can expect to see him back in action.
George was injured on Aug. 1 during a Team USA scrimmage in Las Vegas. He suffered a compound fracture after crumpling in a heap as he landed awkwardly and crashed into a stanchion at the bottom of the basket as he tried to defend James Harden.