Paul George suffered a horrific broken leg during a game of The Team USA showcase Friday and the tape of the break has left viewers cringing in sympathetic pain for the basketball star.
As the Indiana Pacers star chased down opposing player James Hardena as he went in for a shot, he slid into the base of the the basket and the leg literally snapped before the eyes of fellow players, viewers, and later, the world.
In a statement released after surgery was completed, USA Basketball said George suffered an open tibia-fibula fracture and will remain remain in the hospital for about three days.
George’s poor parents were at the game and joined him on the court as he was being helped by medical personnel. Silence was the only sound at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center as medical personnel worked on him. George then left on a stretcher to a standing ovation, and the game was subsequently called off.
According to ESPN, there was no additional damage apart from the fractures, but doctors believe George likely will miss all of next season. However, no official prognosis has been released.
Meanwhile, George tweeted his thanks for all the love and support:
Thanks everybody for the love and support.. I'll be ok and be back better than ever!!! Love y'all!! #YoungTrece
His parents and Pacers general manager Kevin Pritchard accompanied George as he was transported to the Hospital for Special Surgery in Las Vegas.
“He appeared quite stoic (as the medical team was attending to him),” said Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski. “They allowed his father to touch him and to comfort him. I thought our trainers did a good job right away making sure that emotionally he was as good as possible.”
All season long, the Miami Heat were looking forward to the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Eastern Conference standings, with the Pacers eventually finishing the season two games ahead of the Heat. The immense amount of success for the Pacers during the regular season had many people postulating as to whether this was the year someone would take down the Heat dynasty in the East. And after a decisive Game 1 victory of the Eastern Conference Finals for the Pacers, many of those speculations seemed to be vindicated.
Following Game 4 of the series Monday night, however, there is no doubt to be had – this is Miami’s year, once again.
The Heat cruised to a 102-90 victory over the Pacers at American Airlines Arena in Miami, leading the entirety of the game and even stretching the margin to 23 points in the fourth quarter. The final score did not represent the complete domination exhibited by Miami during the course of the game (thanks to a late run by the Pacers), but actions during the contest and comments following Game 4 prove how out-matched and desperate the Pacers are becoming.
Speaking after the Pacers’s loss in Game 3, Indiana’s Lance Stephenson expressed his belief that his trash-talking was finally getting to LeBron James, exhibited by the fact that James had finally decided to start jawing back:
To me, it’s a sign of weakness. Because he never used to say nothing to me. I always used to be the one that would say, ‘I’m gonna get under you. I’m gonna do something to get you mad.’ And now he’s trying to do it to me. So I feel like it’s a weakness. I feel like I’m doing something right, and I’m getting under his skin. But I definitely got to keep stepping up to the plate, and be more aggressive when he [does] that.
Proving that words are just that – simply words – Stephenson was personally violated and destroyed by James’s performance Monday night. While LeBron had 32 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, Stephenson did not score his first point until 3:43 was left in the third quarter. He would finish the game with a paltry 9 points.
LeBron has led his team outright (no ties) in PTS, REBS, & ASTS in a Playoff game 30 times. 2nd most all-time is Bird's 13 (h/t @MiamiHeat)
Stephenson’s response to the performances following the game: ”I was trying to get into his head. I guess he stepped up and got the win. I can take the heat.”
If Stephenson’s performances from Game 3 (10 points on 3-9 shooting) and Game 4 are any indication, he most certainly should stay out of the kitchen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0PdK-98AOc
Stephenson was not the only Pacer feeling the heat Monday night, though.
Pacers’s center Roy Hibbert put up a big goose-egg in Game 4, adding essentially nothing to the Pacers’s effort against the Heat. His excuse? Hibbert did not place the blame upon himself, but rather the coaches and the play-calling: “The game plan wasn’t really utilizing me much. Just try to be effective wherever I can. Would I have liked to get a few more touches earlier on and get going? Yeah. That’s just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.”
Roy Hibbert scoring ZERO points four times in the NBA playoffs will be the main reason the Indiana Pacers lose out AGAIN. Just unacceptable.
Unfortunately, Hibbert was not the only Pacer to pass-the-buck for the poor performance.
While Paul George seemed to be the one positive for Indiana on the court Monday night, scoring 23 points and pulling down 7 rebounds, his comments off the court hint at his level of frustration with the series.
“Looking at the stat sheet, we outplayed them. You got to give them credit. They won this game at the free throw line. They really just were able to get to the line more than we were, but I thought we outplayed them tonight.”
Letting his immaturity and inexperience show, George continued in his diatribe against the officials:
“I mean, you can’t tell me we don’t attack the basket as much as they attack the basket. You can’t tell me we’re not aggressive. Maybe we’re too aggressive… Maybe this was just home cooking.”
Paul George said the Heat may have gotten some “home cooking” from the refs last night.
LeBron had a response -> http://t.co/sA5KoiUyRS
Perhaps the behavior and comments of the Pacers’s players are simply a reflection of their head coach, however. While no one can take away the effort Frank Vogel has put into bringing the Pacers back to a position of prominence in the NBA, his actions reflect the heat he is feeling at the prospect of being eliminated by Miami in the postseason for the third consecutive year.
In the closing minutes of the first quarter in Game 4 Monday night, Vogel decided to help his Pacers play some sort of defense by yelling at Heat forward Shane Battier as he released a three from the corner.
When asked about the play, Battier replied that he was unaffected and could understand why Vogel would undertake such an action:
You don’t hear anything. You hear nothing. I didn’t notice it. Was he screaming at me? That’s news to me…He’s the man, he can do what he wants for his team. It makes them feel part of the game… He’s one of the guys who does not like when I call out what plays come in. I’ve been doing it my entire career. But some coaches really, it irritates. I don’t think he likes me very much. When the play comes in, he waits until I turn away, and I stare right at him.
While the Pacers are slowly but surely losing their collective mind, the Heat are thriving due to their experience and much-needed maturity.
In the post-game press conference, Dwayne Wade voiced exactly why the Heat have persevered despite the talk and pressure from the Pacers:
We played (the Boston) Celtics a lot, and they made it more than just about basketball, and they beat us in the mental game as well as the physical game. We learned that the only way we’re going to beat them is if we beat them playing the game of basketball. They’re great at that mental game… So from that point, we try to leave that alone. We try to beat you at basketball. We don’t go into the back‑and‑forth talking because that’s not what we’re here for, and that’s not going to win us a game. So we try to beat you at basketball.
When the Pacers learn to play basketball instead of childish mind-games, perhaps they will finally ascend to the NBA Finals. Until that time, though, the Heat will continue their Celtic-esque dynasty-building.
Dwyane Wade has been no stranger to injuries over the course of the 2013-2014 season, but he was able to return to the Miami Heat lineup during their game on Saturday. He has missed out on many games over the season, and just returned from a 9-game stretch that he was forced to sit out.
It was a game against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night when Dwyane Wade would return to the starting lineup. As a team that is currently fighting for the No.1 seed in the NBA playoffs, the Heat need every star to be playing, and unfortunately even with Wade’s return, the Heat lost to the Hawks 98-85.
As he continues to struggle, and with the playoffs starting in about a week, it could be risky for Wade to return now. In addition to his recent injury, he also almost missed the 2014 NBA All-Star game, and instead played limited minutes.
He has missed 28 games overall, with most of the absences due to his knee soreness. He has also missed time with an Achilles strain. The Heat are currently in a fierce fight with the Indiana Pacers heading into the final week of the regular season, and are currently half a game behind.
I don't care what nobody says watching the heat game without Dwyane Wade is just not the same
Speaking on his ability to play again, before the game Dwyane Wade said “I’m going to give it a go today. That’s the plan. The first thing was to get comfortable with it. You never know how severe it is until you try to strengthen it. Now, it’s just about getting comfortable and pushing it to see where you’re at.”
His recent hamstring injury kept him out for more time than he had missed during any other part of the season, and it was much more serious than he, or the rest of the team had initially thought.
There were a couple of other games recently when Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Wade was on the verge of returning, but the team ultimately held him out as a further precaution.
Dwyane Wade 24pts 10/14. He's back, if the Heat 3peat he'll get the Finals mvp.
Despite missing about a third of the NBA season, Dwyane Wade returned on Saturday to score 24 points. In the games that he has played in, he is averaging 19.2 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game.
The NBA the playoffs are quickly approaching, and as teams continue to rise, and fall, the fates of each team will soon be known. There should be no surprise with who the top teams are toward the end of the year, but teams have been moving around slightly.
The San Antonio Spurs continue to rule the NBA, and are currently on a thirteen-game win streak. The Spurs have been one of the top teams for several years, and made it to the NBA championship last year before losing to the Miami Heat.
Following the Spurs’ first place spot are the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, and the Indiana Pacers to round out the top five.
The Miami Heat, who won last year’s NBA championship, follows closely behind in sixth place. They were in fifth last week, but lost recently, and have been showing signs of struggle.
It is no surprise to see that the West is dominating, although when comparing overall records, the Pacers are third overall, and were ranked third in the power rankings last week. The full NBA standings, showing their rankings in the conference can be seen here.
The Heat and Pacers are the two teams that have already clinched in the East, but due to tougher competition in the Western Conference, the only team that has clinched is the Spurs. The Mavericks just slipped from 8 to 10, and the Suns have risen from 11 to 9, placing them only one game behind the Mavericks.
Even the Brooklyn Nets, who looked amazing on paper to start the season, but struggled earlier, are on a four-game winning streak, and are likely to gain the fourth seed in the playoffs. Another surprise in the Eastern Conference in 2014 is the Toronto Raptors, who are currently in third place, although they are only half of a game ahead of the Bulls.
It is unclear where every team will land, and who they will each be paired with, but as the NBA season comes to an end, some teams have been improving, while others are falling. The Pacers are in first in the East, while the Spurs lead the way in the west. They almost met in the NBA finals last year before the Heat edged the Pacers out, could it happen this year?
The Miami Heat has consistently been one of the top teams in the NBA for the past several seasons since gaining Lebron James on their roster. However, Greg Oden has eased himself into the starting lineup recently, and may be keeping that position.
Greg Oden has been plagued with injuries throughout most of his NBA career, which has been spent mostly with the Portland Trailblazers. He joined the Heat over the off-season last year, and made his debut with the team last October.
Lebron James has been forced to carry the team on his shoulders for much of the season due to another injury to Dwyane Wade, playing in a limited number of games in the 2013-2014 season. The Indiana Pacers have remained in first place throughout the season, and are currently 3 games ahead of Miami.
It was just the beginning of October when Greg Oden had his first practice in four years, but may be working his way into the starting lineup shortly. He started against the Houston Rockets last weekend in order to have a better match-up against their big man, Dwight Howard, and then again in Cleveland.
However, according to Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, the decision to start Oden may not have just been based on the situation. After the game, he said “I’ve stressed that to our team, that last year’s blueprint was for last year, and the more we tried to pigeonhole ourselves into that blueprint, we might not be opening ourselves up to a more successful or necessary blueprint for this year, as the competition has changed.”
Starting Greg Oden is certainly a dramatic change from the regular Heat lineup that features smaller figures such as Chris Bosh, Shane Battier, and even Chris Anderson, all players that do not have much size to them, but are much better shooters than someone like Oden.
Lineups with Bosh and Oden have been less successful overall when compared to the way that Bosh and Anderson play together, but the template is there for for the Heat to succeed with two functional big men on the floor at the same time.
Greg Oden may be starting right now, but he continues to heal from his injury, and his playing time could be limited going forward. The Miami Heat have already clinched a spot in the playoffs, and currently have a record of 46-19.
While some teams seem to be in free fall mode, losing at a wild rate, the Chicago Bulls seem to continue to do whatever it takes to win. Their latest challenge was the second-best Miami Heat, who they defeated in overtime.
The Bulls are the one team that continue to give the Miami Heat trouble, and are certainly a team that they do not want to see during the 2014 playoffs. In another intense Sunday afternoon battle, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Heat with a final score of 95-88.
Miami was previously beaten by the Bulls by a total of 20 points on December 5th, and for some reason, they just cannot seem to beat the Bulls. Chicago is not likely to win the NBA championship, but anything could happen once the playoffs start, right?
It is no surprise that these two teams have had troubles with one another in recent years, and they each continue to show their hatred toward each other. An incident occurred during a game last year that resulted in the ejected of veteran Nazr Mohammed when he shoved Lebron James. Yesterday’s game was no different, as James was kicked, and abused again.
Joakim Noah further explained his hatred for the Heat in a post-game interview, and said “Those guys (the Heat), they’ve ended our seasons a lot (twice in three seasons). That’s where the hate comes from. It’s not, ‘Oh, I hate this guy.’ It’s that these guys ended it – I want what they have. I want a championship, and I know to get there one day, we’re going to have to get through those guys. So that’s the hatred.”
The Chicago Bulls are on quite a roll right now, but due to the significant injuries that they have faced this season, particularly Derrick Rose, they struggled during much of the earlier part of the season. They have relied on other players since, and are rising toward the top as a force to be reckoned with.
Fun Fact: In the James-Wade-Bosh era, the Chicago #Bulls are 7-1 in regular season home games vs. the Heat.
Since the departure of Derrick Rose from the lineup, Joakim Noah has been forced to step up, and has been a major contributor in the past few months. He has given big numbers, continues to work well with his teammates, and was even one of the biggest stars for the Eastern Conference in the 2014 NBA All-Star Game.
The Chicago Bulls have been giving their best effort in multiple games lately, but always seem to perform at another level when it comes time to play Lebron James and the Miami Heat. The Heat are currently stuck at second place, but if the Pacers continue to lose, they may be able to claim the top spot before the playoffs start.
On the other hand, the Bulls are 35-28, and in fourth place in the conference, which would have them matched up against the Washington Wizards if the playoffs were to start right now.
As the trade deadline for NBA approaches, several teams have made decisions to shake up their rosters, and add new players. In a trade that could end up hurting at least one team in the trade, Danny Granger was traded from the Indiana Pacers to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Granger has struggled with injuries for the past couple of seasons, and as someone who has not been able to play much, the Pacers are likely to see the trade as a favorable one for them. The Pacers got away with a big one when trading away an aging forward in exchange for two other forwards.
The Pacers were able to acquire Lavoy Allen and Evan Turner in exchange for Danny Granger. Evan Tuner can easily be looked at as one of the best, if not the best, of the players for the 76ers.
In other trading news, there have been plenty of rumors surrounding the Lakers, and whether Pau Gasol would finally leave after his continued problems with their coach. However, Steve Blake is the one who has been traded so far.
Danny Granger didn't look too happy walking into the Sixers practice facility. Going from title contender to a rebuilding squad does that.
Rajon Rondo has also been mentioned along with Luol Deng, who was just acquired by the Cavaliers earlier this season. Several other high profile candidates are in the market for a possible trade, meanwhile star players like Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony will also become free agents in the upcoming season.
The ex-Pacers forward has only played in 29 games this season, and only five games in the 2012-2013 season, after continually battling with a knee injury. Despite his recent injury problems, when he is healthy, Danny Granger can be a franchise player.
At one point in his career, he had averaged over 20 points per game in three consecutive seasons, which included a career high of 25.8 points per game during the 2008-2009 season.
Meanwhile, Evan Turner is averaging 17.4 points, six rebounds, and 3.7 assists for the 76ers this season. Turner was the No. 2 pick in the 2010 draft by the 76ers, and has been one of their best players since, even though the team has been having one of the worst records in the conference, even after joined the franchise.
The Indiana Pacers are already the best team in the Eastern Conference, and after their recent trade involving Danny Granger, many people would argue that they just got even better. Meanwhile, the 76ers made a decision that turned them from bad to worse, as they simply try to not be in last place in the conference.
After trading for & acquiring him, the #76ers have waived Earl Clark. They are also expected to waive Danny Granger. #ATN
