INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Larry Bird isn’t putting any constraints on Paul George’s recovery.
In fact, the Pacers president of basketball operations is hoping George will make it onto the court this season. Just six months after the two-time All-Star gruesomely broke his right leg in two places, Bird told reporters that if doctors clear George to play he should.
“I always say if the player is ready to play, he’s got to play,” Bird said Wednesday. “We’re not going to hold him back if he’s able to go out there and play. I think it’s important because when you’re out like that, you lose something. He’s going to get beat up, he’s going to get knocked around, he’s not going to look good, but I still think it’s important, if he’s able to play, he should be out there.”
Bird said doctors initially told him that it would take seven months for the leg bone to fully heal. If that timeline still holds, George could conceivably be ready for a return from the Aug. 1 injury sometime next month.
Being cleared may not be enough. Coach Frank Vogel acknowledged that getting into game shape and getting back in sync with his teammates could add another month or two to the rehab process, possibly delaying George’s return to next season – as was the expectation all along.