Amidst a season filled with controversy and locker room drama, the Indiana Pacers managed to clinch the No.1 seed in the Eastern Conference last year. The East, however, has now gotten a little tougher to beat following the return of LeBron James to the Cleveland Cavaliers with Kevin Love set to join the team. Moreover, the Chicago Bulls has recently welcomed Pau Gasol and a healthy Derrick Rose, who is making a strong comeback, in its lineup. With George sidelined, it might be hard for the Pacers to get at the top of the Eastern Conference standings in the upcoming basketball season.
George reportedly underwent a successful surgery but there is still no timetable for his return, according to a report from Sports Injury Alert. The question now is what will happen to George once he returns to action on the court?
Looking at the careers of former stars like Bernard King and Grant Hill, George historically might not get back to his All-Star form once he recovers from his injury. But Mark Price, Chris Webber, and Michael Jordan, nonetheless, defied expectations and showed the entire NBA world that its possible to turn your career around after a season-ending injury.
A report by Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEightSports may give Pacers fans a reason to be hopeful. Silver points out that young players can experience a setback due to injuries but still come back very good. On the other hand, a player who is on the decline may find it hard to get back into his old form when he suffers a major set back due to injury. But George, who just turned 25 this summer, is said to have a high chance to get back to his All-Star form when he fully recovers from his leg injury.
The key for George's rehab is muscle recovery. Nick Grosso, a sports medicine surgeon and president of The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, suggested to USA Today, "The bone gets a lot of attention because it's so obvious, but the thing I'm worried about most is the soft tissue around it. These guys are so young and athletic that the bone should heal."
George is expected to be out for a full season and still has a lot of work to do to get back into basketball shape once he recovers.
Do you think that Paul George will come back strong and get back into his elite form once he fully recovers from his leg injury? Share us your thoughts below!
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