Nate Taylor

nate.taylor@indystar.com

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers gathered in the paint. They stood together in a circle inside an empty Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Thanksgiving. They needed to discuss their future by themselves. Coach Nate McMillan nor any of his assistants allowed.

The man who initiated and led the meeting pointed to certain spots on the floor. He moved around the perimeter of his circled teammates and showed to explain how certain movements and cuts will make the Pacers more explosive on offense. He wanted to hear input from other teammates and several other Pacers talked about what they wanted to do better.

Paul George, in a players’ only-meeting Thursday, did his best to be a leader.

“I wanted to get the guys together and kind of wanted to get them to just start seeing the game differently,” George said after the Pacers’ shootaround. “If there’s action going on strong side, why can’t we talk and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to set you up for this back screen or I’m going to get to you for this pin down.’ No reason why we can’t communicate on the offensive end.”

George intended to play in Friday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets after holding his first players-only meeting of his seven-year career. He intended, after so much talk, to lead the Pacers on the court. He intended to be a part of their pivot from uneven play to a more consistent, cohesive team.

But George woke up Friday with a sore lower back. And his ankle, that nagging ankle, continued to be sore enough to sap his usual explosiveness. He received treatment before Friday’s game, but he didn’t like the way he felt.

Coach Nate McMillan, along with the Pacers’ training staff, made the decision to rest George for at least five more days. George, along with Kevin Seraphin, will miss at least the Pacers’ next two games, a home contest Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers and Wednesday’s road game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Seraphin also missed Friday’s game with a sore left knee injury.

The Pacers announced the news in the first quarter of their empathic 118-97 win over the Nets.

“The decision was if he couldn’t go tonight, we’re going to hold him for a few days so that everything can heal up with him,” McMillan said of George. “We have (four) games in the next 10 days. After that, we’re back to every other day. The plan was to try to give him some time where we were not having a lot games in a row.”

BOX SCORE:Pacers 118, Nets 97

The Pacers (8-9) are hopeful that George will return to the lineup Dec. 4 when they will play the Clippers in Los Angeles. Since he sustained his injury Nov. 11 in the overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, George has felt significant soreness in his ankle when he ran on it. He then missed four of the next six games and had MRI and X-ray scans on his ankle, results that showed no structural damage.

For the fifth time this season, George watched the Pacers on Friday from the bench. His message, however, appeared to be well received and performed accordingly by the healthy Pacers.

Indiana, for one game at least, demonstrated more diversity in its offense without George. The Pacers recorded 25 assists and shot a season-high 55.2 percent from the field. Six players scored more than 10 points. Glenn Robinson III, who replaced George in the starting lineup, led Indiana with 20 points on an impressive 6-of-10 shooting from the field.

Robinson said George’s message Thursday had a positive impact on Friday’s victory.

“He told us that we need more movement, we need to communicate on offense just as much as we do on defense, to have fun and remember that we’re a team and we should always be connected,” Robinson said. “I think we really took that to heart and it showed in this game. Paul is smart. Being on that USA (Olympic) team, he knows what it takes to be a winner. He knows the game really well and everyone was locked in and really listening to him.”

The Pacers’ communication appeared to be more emphasized, as they committed fewer turnovers than the Nets (4-11).

McMillan applauded George for starting Thursday’s meeting and focusing on teammates talking more. McMillan said his players trying to reach each other’s minds will not lead to much success.

“I think that’s great that you talk about some things that you need to improve on,” McMillan said after the team’s shootaround. “They’re out there battling in the same fight. If you’re not communicating, it doesn’t strengthen you. There’s been some times when we’ve been in the heat of the moment and we’re not communicating as well as we’ve talked about. I think that’s the number one thing, communicating both on and off the floor.”

The Pacers understand they will have to continue their reemphasized efforts without George, Seraphin and C.J. Miles. George, though, explained that his speech to his teammates was for them, as a team, to have a better bond on the court, no matter which five players are performing together.

“A lot of stuff can be worked out and I think that’s what we got to do,” George said. “We have the talent. We have a lot of talent, but if we’re all out there single-mindedly trying to get through a game, then we’re not going to get nothing accomplish.”

McMillan agreed.

“What Paul did, and what we’ve talked about all season long, you have to do,” McMillan said. “You have to do that.”

Call IndyStar reporter Nate Taylor at (317) 444-6484. Follow him on Twitter: @ByNateTaylor.

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