The 2012-2013 NBA Playoffs will be remembered for many things, good and bad. Some might remember it as superstar-ravaged, with All-Stars like Kobe Bryant and Russell Westbrook not able to perform. Some might remember it as a renaissance for the never-aging San Antonio Spurs. Even some would look back and think of this postseason as the year Miami Heat solidified their claim as a once-in-a-generational ensemble. One thing fans ought to take note of, though, when discussing this edition of the playoffs is the emergence of Paul George.
This is the year of Paul George. This 23-year old Indiana Pacer star had a breakout regular season that saw a marked improvement in scoring, rebounds, assist, and steals that would lead to the first of what will almost undoubtedly be many All-Star appearances and ultimately earn him the Most Improved Player of the Year Award. With Danny Granger never fully able to recover from injury, Paul George took on the mantle as the Pacers’ leader and spearheaded a run that would catapult them to the third seed in the East.
But it is during these playoffs that George confirmed that he is for real. In the playoff opener against the Hawks, George recorded a triple-double en route to a convincing victory. With his all-around brilliance, they would go on to advance to the second round to face Carmelo and the Knicks. Proudly wearing that gold and blue Pacers jersey and rekindling this old rivalry, George continued his great play leading the Pacers to a six-game victory and a re-match with the defending champs, this time in the Conference Finals.
In the showdown with four-time MVP LeBron James, Paul George showed that he can more than hold up his own against the planet’s best basketball player. One of the most picturesque images from that would be right after the third quarter of Game 2. After a sequence that saw George posterize Chris Anderson, Lebron rushed down to nail a 30-footer at the buzzer. Immediately, the league MVP chased after George, reached out his hand and said, “I got your back, young fellow”, as if to acknowledge that Paul George and the Pacers are bona fide threats.
Paul George has indeed arrived and so long as he is wearing the gold and blue Pacers jersey, you can be sure that they will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.