The question was simple enough, but apparently required a multiple choice answer. One in which every possibility was correct?

Where did George Hill's presence have the most impact in his return to the Pacers on Tuesday? Nobody seemed able to narrow that one down.

“Length and speed and quickness on the defensive end, first and foremost,” coach Frank Vogel said following the 96-84 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. “Shot-making and attacking on the offensive end and orchestrating. I think he got us into a lot of stuff and got us organized; he thought the game out.”

Got that? Hill made their defense better, he made their offense better and he showed leadership. Which pretty much covers the gamut unless you want to get into technicalities and intangibles that nobody cares about, particularly after the Pacers' first victory over a winning team since Nov. 24, when they won at Dallas.

Hill, making his first appearance of the regular season after tearing a quadriceps muscle in an exhibition game, brought an obvious upgrade to the Pacers' backcourt. Playing 21 minutes and 15 seconds off the bench – a few more than Vogel had intended – he finished with a team-high 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, four rebounds, three assists a steal and two turnovers.

His impact was even greater on the defensive end. Hill helped keep Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday in check during their time on the court together, and played a significant role in Holiday's 7-of-21 shooting performance.

Hill received a loud ovation when he entered the game with 3:12 left in the first quarter, with many of the fans standing to greet him. It seemed in distinct contrast to the many complaints aired last season from fans who didn't consider him a true point guard and wanted him traded – an apparent case of absence making hearts grow fonder.

He hit his first shot, a 15-footer, and had a rebound and two assists before the quarter ended. The only blemish was a hurried 3-pointer at the buzzer that missed.

His greatest contributions came in the fourth period, when a lineup that included just one of the game’s starters (Rodney Stuckey) held off a Pelicans comeback attempt. He got a layup off of C.J. Miles' steal, a 3-pointer from the left wing and then another banked 3-pointer from out front to keep the Pacers up by 12.

Vogel had intended to play Hill just nine minutes in each half, and pulled him with 6:04 remaining – mercifully, because Hill looked in need of an oxygen mask by then. The Pacers led by 10 at the time, but New Orleans got it down to five in just a few minutes by getting into the lane for easy shots. Holiday got a layup, then Holiday got a short floater, then Holiday got into the lane to feed Anthony Davis for a layup and three-point play, then Holiday got into the lane again to feed Davis for a dunk and another three-point play, then Holiday got into the lane again for another layup.

Vogel couldn't leave his best perimeter on the bench any longer. Hill was sent back in with 2:24 left, and New Orleans scored just two points the rest of the way, on free throws by Tyreke Evans. So much for Holiday spirit. So much for the Pelicans, who lead the NBA in points in the paint.

“I was about 50-50 on whether I was going to come back to him,” Vogel said. “I was going to see how the game was going.”

The Pacers' need for Hill seems well-established now. He had drawn praise throughout the summer, from team president Larry Bird on down, for the time and effort he put into his offseason workouts. He followed that up with a sterling performance in the opening preseason game against Minnesota with 17 points and seven assists in 20 minutes, but was injured a week later in a game in Minneapolis.

He talked optimistically about his new role after that first preseason game, joking that he had sold the real estate in the corner of the court, where he stood much of last season in the halfcourt offense awaiting a possible kickout for a 3-pointer while Paul George and Lance Stephenson went to work. Now the question remains, can he regain the momentum he had built in the offseason? Vogel says it will take a while, that he'll have to fit in for a while rather than being “the guy” he had intended to be. But in time, Vogel believes, Hill should be able to pick up where he left off when he was injured.

“I think that type of work is foundation work,” he said. “I think it stays with you. I think all the movements and the shot-making and all that stuff stays with you. I just don't know if it's going to be there right away. The skill improvements are going to be there once he gets his legs under him. Hopefully not too long.”

Hill said afterward that he felt fine, just a little rusty. He could be back in the starting lineup as early as Friday in Detroit. If not, it won't take long. The perceptions have been re-calibrated and with the Pacers 10 games under .500, the need is clear.

“George's IQ is very high,” David West said, adding to the coach's points of praise. “He's a multi-dimensional guard on top. He's got that world class speed, he's got that vision … he's just going to add to what we're doing.”

Just in time, perhaps.

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