Candace Buckner

For a moment in the fourth quarter Tuesday night, the fan section inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse named the "G2 Zone" chanted "Home-town He-ro." It would be the first time all season that particular collection of fans – formed as the loyalists for Paul George and George Hill – had something to cheer about for their namesake.

Though George still remained in a suit while recovering from his summertime broken-leg injury, the other one, Hill, made his season debut after missing the first 28 games with a left knee contusion and subsequent quadriceps tear.

As far as a "hero's" homecoming, it could not have gone better for Hill and the Indiana Pacers during the 96-84 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

For the second straight game, the Pacers (10-19) shot 50 percent from the floor and showed balance as nine players scored at least six points. Also, playing as whole as they've been since the start of the season, the Pacers also limited the Pelicans to their third lowest total of the season and defenders made All-Star Anthony Davis work for his game-high 21 points (8-of-18 shooting; Davis missed seven of his 10 attempts through the first half).

Though he described feeling "tired" after the game, Hill performed well in his first game in nearly two months with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 20 minutes.

"He looked great out there, great return for him," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "Just played a great basketball game on both ends. Floor general on the offensive end and … then great quickness and length on the defensive end."

Though Vogel planned on playing Hill in three-minute spurts throughout the game, he sent Hill back onto the floor in the fourth quarter after Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday stretched out three scores near the rim over three minutes.

For Vogel to even trust Hill in that situation spoke to the quality of game he was having. Still, the rust showed at times.

On his first defensive play of the game, Hill fouled Austin Rivers on a drive to send him to the free-throw line. Following that blow by, Hill ran the point and threw a pass too high for a leaping David West to catch. Then later in the fourth quarter, Hill needed the glass to bank in one of his two 3-pointers of the night and bobbled a fast break pass that turned into a good-hands play as he collected the ball and still scored the layup.

However, Hill still had his moments when he looked comfortable back on the court – like when he drained a difficult step-back baseline jumper to tie the game at 24 near the end of the first quarter, and any time he collected one of his four defensive rebounds.

"George's I.Q. is very high and he's a multi dimensional guard up top, he can shoot the 3," said West, who finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists. "He's just going to add to what we're doing and what we are."

The Pacers have now won back-to-back games and no coincidence, center Roy Hibbert has contributed two-way play in both matchups. On Tuesday, Hibbert scored 14 points and four rebounds but also provided a menacing presence at the rim with seven blocks.

"Roy Hibbert has really stepped up the last couple of games," Vogel said. "He was a major, major presence at the defensive end in both games."

Though rookie Damjan Rudez stayed at home with an upper respiratory infection that has been sweeping through the locker room, and the Pacers still miss George (expected out for the season) and backup center Ian Mahinmi (torn plantar fascia), Tuesday marked a new start for the Pacers.

After his performance, Hill looks ready to move into the starting lineup and thus, his presence should create a solid footing for the rotation as the team moves into 2015. It's just one more healthy player, but it's a start.

"We're getting healthy, we're playing together and we're just playing with a little edge," C.J. Watson said. "I think the chemistry is getting there."

Call Star reporter Candace Buckner at (317) 444-6121. Follow her on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.