Jim Ayello

jim.ayello@indystar.com

INDIANAPOLIS – Paul George had enough. His Indiana Pacers, desperately clinging to one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, were down 22 points to the sub-.500 Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter. Embarrassing is what George would call that later, and he decided he’d had enough.

With about 7:45 to go in Friday's game, George snared an offensive rebound, dribbled down court and with little hesitation or thought of making a pass, pulled up for a 3.

The next turn down the court, George picked up a loose ball, created a little space between himself and Nikola Jokic and shot.

On the Pacers’ next possession, George held the ball at the top of the key for a few seconds before jab-stepping, shot-faking then driving past Danilo Gallinari for a smooth two-handed dunk.

The next time down the court, he shot again. The next time? Another shot.

Five straight possessions, five straight shots from George. In those few minutes, it seemed George was the only Pacer on the court. A “lone wolf."

Was he being selfish? Or was he simply trying to salvage his team the embarrassment of a blowout lost at home?

Depends on whom you ask.

There are some people, George said, who see displays like that as him being a ball hog. A ball-stopper.

Which people? “No comment,” George said. After Friday’s deflating 125-117 loss to the Denver Nuggets, this is what the Pacers star did have to say:

“It just seems when I get going or when I go off, I look at as the ball-stopper or the ball hog,” said a visibly frustrated George. “I get labeled as that. Within games I try to move the ball and get other guys involved. When that doesn’t work, that’s when I go as a lone wolf.”

So is George a selfish player?

If so, it'd be hard to find the evidence in his numbers. His 28.9 percent usage rate is 20th in the league, sandwiched between Houston's Lou Williams and Golden State's Steph Curry. And as of Saturday, his 17.5 attempts per game are tied for 19th with Golden State's Klay Thompson. His 3.3 assists per game are only 0.8 fewer than he averaged last season.

Those numbers don't seem to indicate a selfish player, but maybe there's more to it.

For his part, coach Nate McMillan says he can see why some might view George's play that way. But he doesn't agree with them. George is an NBA superstar, McMillan said, and NBA superstars sometimes play by different rules — whether their teammates like it or not.

"I think it’s always that case with the leading scorer on the team," McMillan said after Saturday's practice at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. "Sometimes people look at the guy and say, 'He's selfish or that he needs to move the ball; or how many shot attempts (did he get?)' I think you play the game the right way. ... Last night, we were down 23 in the fourth and OK, somebody has to make something happen. I thought Paul got aggressive. I didn't see any issues."

Is that what it is, Paul? Do some of your teammates just need to understand that you're allowed to play by different rules?

"I ain't going to speak on that," George said Saturday.

What he will talk about is the future. And in the future, he's not going to worry about hurt feelings or rubbing people the wrong way. Not anymore at least.

"At this point, it’s win," George said. "Whatever I got to do to win. If I got to put up 30 shots, to win, I‘ll put up 30 shots."

Follow IndyStar reporter Jim Ayello on Twitter: @jamesayello and on Instagram: @jimayello.

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INDIANA vs. PHILADELPHIA

Tipoff: 6 p.m. Sunday, Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

TV: Fox Sports Indiana.

Radio: WFNI-AM (1070), -FM (93.5).

Storylines:

>> With Glenn Robinson III out at least two weeks with a strained calf, look for coach Nate McMillan to tinker with the starting lineup. On Friday night, C.J. Miles started the game, but it was Monta Ellis who came out with the starters to begin the second half. McMillan refused to commit to any lineup at Saturday's practice, only saying that he will try to find the right "balance for both groups."

>> As the Pacers' season continues to seesaw, Ellis is quietly having one of his best and most efficient months of the season. The veteran guard is averaging 10.4 points per game on 45.5 percent shooting from the field — including a season-best 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. "Over the past couple of months, he's played much more aggressive and has given us some really good minutes," McMillan said.

>> Much like the Pacers (36-36), the 76ers (27-45) are abysmal on the road. Philadelphia has won just 10 games away from the Wells Fargo Center. That being the case, Paul George said, these are the kinds of games the Pacers have to have. "(Sunday) is a game we have to take advantage of — at home, where we tend to play better — it's a win we must pick up."

>> PREDICTION: A loss this late in the season to a team as bad as Philadelphia would be devastating to the Pacers' confidence. But while they looked lost Friday night against Denver, I just don't see the inexperienced 76ers giving them the same kind of fits. Pacers 114, 76ers 108

— Jim Ayello