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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Paul George flashed his former All-Star form in Indiana’s last contest and aims to notch another strong performance when the Pacers host the Miami Heat on Friday. George suffered a compound fracture of his left leg 15 months ago and had his best outing of the season with 26 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday’s 100-98 victory over the Boston Celtics.
George stated that one of his goals is to win the NBA MVP award this season — a feat that would rate as near-miraculous considering the type of injury he is coming back from. The Pacers would surely like to see such an accomplishment as it would mean the club emerged from an off season restructuring that included the departures of front court starters David West and Roy Hibbert. Miami guard Dwayne Wade has scored 20 or more points in all five games and matched his season best with 25 points in Thursday’s 96-84 road win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Wade, who is averaging 22.2 points, hasn’t scored 20 or more points in each of the first six games of a season since he began the 2009-10 campaign with 10 such outings.
THE HEAT (3-2)
Reserve guard Gerald Green is expected to miss his third straight game after a hospitalization for reasons the team has to yet to divulge. Green missed Tuesday’s game with what Miami termed an illness and then was transported to a hospital Wednesday morning and a transcript of the 911 call obtained by the Sun Sentinel stated Green was unconscious and bleeding before paramedics arrived. “I mean, I really don’t know what the situation is,” said Wade, a co-captain of the team. “I just know our teammate was in the hospital and from there, I found out he was doing better. I really don’t know what the situation is.”
THE PACERS (2-3)
George made five 3-pointers in the victory against Boston after going 4-for-20 from long range over the first four games. He finished the contest with 501 career 3-pointers — five behind third-place Billy Keller on Indiana’s all-time list — and said afterward that he is still adjusting to changes in the offensive philosophy. “Our offense is all randomness,” George said. “I’ve been so good the past four or five years because I knew our offense. I knew where my shots were going to come from. I was comfortable with the shots I was going to get. Now it’s street ball. It’s organized street ball. It’s a lot more organized than that, but it’s just complete randomness out there. You just have to find your way.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pacers have won the past seven regular-season home meetings and are 41-9 all-time at home against Miami.
2. Heat C Hassan Whiteside has made 28-of-36 field-goal attempts over the past three games and is shooting 72.3 percent for the season.
3. Indiana C Ian Mahinmi (back) and swingman C.J. Miles (ankle) are both questionable after missing the Boston contest.
PREDICTION: Heat 97, Pacers 93
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