Pacers' George was in 'dark, low moment' at start of season
The first two months of the 2016-17 campaign were emotionally draining for Indiana Pacers All-Star Paul George, who, despite his best efforts, struggled to find reasons to remain optimistic during a time when he clearly wasn't healthy, and all of the new pieces the team had acquired (on top of having a new head coach) weren't jelling on the hardwood.
"I was in a dark moment, a low moment," George told USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt. "I had a bunch of ankle injuries going on. The team wasn't meshing well. The chemistry between myself and Jeff (Teague) wasn't where it should've been.
"I'm the guy who has to bring it on both ends, and I wasn't feeling like I was capable of doing it physically. So it was wearing on me."
It was a short turnaround for George after suiting up for the U.S. men's Olympic squad in Rio de Janeiro over the summer, which kept him from taking the time he admittedly needed to heal some of his nagging aches and pains.
"Coming from USA Basketball and mentally and physically just being drained from basketball - starting a new season out, not fully being 100, having some bruises and some injuries - it took me time to work through that," he added.
It was prior to the Pacers heading across the pond to London to take on the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 12 that George's attitude and overall outlook started to change for the better.
"I had a night of prayer and a morning of refreshment," he said. "I'm doing and doing what I love to do, blessed to play this game. That's honestly what changed it - just being happy in the moment I'm in and enjoying it.
"Now I'm in a good place physically and emotionally."
The Pacers are winners of six straight games with an overall record of 28-22, having gone 12-4 since the start of the new year after finishing December two games below the .500 mark at 16-18.
George is averaging 23.2 points on 46.7 percent shooting from the field, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.4 steals during this prosperous stretch, and will be a reserve for his fourth All-Star team in New Orleans on Feb. 19.
"Right now, we're starting to learn, we're starting to figure each other out, we're starting to gain some identity and we're starting to get some chemistry," said George. "That's the difference."