Paul George still isn't playing Friday

March 14 seems so long ago now.

That was the date that Paul George reportedly had in mind for a return, which he later denied saying only he had hoped to be back in mid-March. There have also been reports for two weeks now that his return was imminent. Yet, game by game, George is ruled out.

That's the case once again for Friday, with the Indiana Pacers announcing that George will once again sit. This, despite him having passed all tests and, if Roy Hibbert is to be believed, thrown down windmills in preparation for his return.

The issue now becomes if the Pacers lose Friday to the Charlotte Hornets, there's probably not much sense in bringing George back at all. Indiana is 2.5 games back of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with seven games to play, and with the Hornets among the team's in the mix, Friday is essentially a must-win.

George could be a big boost for a playoff run, even at less than 100 percent, but playing out the last few games with no goal would do little except to possibly scratch George's itch to play. Which is something, but if the Pacers drop another game, George making a return would be a fun footnote on the season, not a needle-mover.