What to Expect from George Hill This Season
Apr 11, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Indiana Pacers guard George Hill (3) dribbles the ball against the Miami Heat during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Miami won 98-86. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Last season, the Indiana Pacers’ starting five boasted three career All-Stars: Paul George and Roy Hibbert each made their second appearance in the 2014 mid-season exhibition and David West participated in 2008 and 2009. Plus, Lance Stephenson was on the short list of last year’s snubs, and off the bench, former starter Danny Granger was a one-time All-Star pre-George and Stephenson breakouts. That has continually left starting point guard George Hill as the proverbial odd man out, the furthest from being All-Star caliber.
More was already going to be asked of Hill when Stephenson took his talents to Charlotte, but that was small potatoes compared to the hole George’s devastating injury left in the rotation.
While there are more question marks surrounding this team than The Riddler’s costume, perhaps the biggest one is on Hill. David West will be the rock and will be the heady veteran tasked with holding the team together during what may well be an emotionally-turbulent season. Roy Hibbert will likely become more of a focal point on offense, which bodes well for the other end of the floor as well. But of Indiana’s current “big 3,” Hill will be in the biggest uncharted territory, but a territory in which he could very well thrive. Head coach Frank Vogel occasionally experimented with a two-point guard lineup in order to move Hill to the wing. He did it both with backup C.J. Watson and former Pacer Darren Collison, allowing Hill to move off the ball and use his length and quickness, as well as his ballhandling skills, to open up the floor a little more. If Hill were able to play this way more consistently, yes, it would be uncharted territory for #3, but a territory in which he could thrive.
Therefore, front office president Larry Bird may have done Hill the biggest favor of all by signing former Piston combo guard Rodney Stuckey to an offseason contract. In a sit-down with Pacers.com in June, Bird acknowledged that Hill is at his best when he’s driving and being aggressive, so while Stuckey is similar to Hill in that much of his career in Detroit was both playing floor general and off the ball, this could take immense pressure off of Hill. What Hill lacks in height against the typical shooting guard build like a Kobe Bryant, James Harden, or Klay Thompson, he makes up for in quickness and basketball IQ. Starting your career in San Antonio under Gregg Popovich’s tutelage will do that. And on the defensive end, Hill’s height can be made up for with his action figure-like wingspan. There have been plenty of times when Hill has used a little stutter step, or some misdirection trickery to either lose his defender or draw defensive help. Add this to more time at the wing, and I expect Hill’s basketball world to be opened. He can now drive to collapse the defense and kick it out to a shooter such as Chris Copeland, C.J. Miles, or Damjan Rudez. He can float around the perimeter when Stuckey does the same. With few options left to plug in and try to replace Stephenson’s and George’s production, Hill must take it upon himself to try to fill in the gaps where he can. And with Stuckey now in town, I truly believe he can and will rise to the challenge.
If nothing else, take some solace in this quote from front office president Larry Bird from back in June. Bird, who has never been shy to publicly say what improvements he thinks needs to be made, said of Hill’s offseason “every day” workouts, they tell George to go home and take a day off. He’s committed himself to the summer to get better, and that’s all I want to hear.”
Bird then went onto say:
“I think George Hill’s going to be a better basketball player. You just don’t work that hard every day and not get better.”
Good enough for Bird, good enough for me, especially when there is still well over a month until tip-off to see any of the results from Hill’s offseason regiment.
Look, Hill isn’t going to magically replace George’s 21 and seven averages from last year, nor will he magically replace the the 14 and seven that Stephenson left behind. But I expect a bump in assists, rebounds, and points. Maybe statistically-minimal bumps, but bumps. What I do believe will happen is that George’s production will go beyond the stat sheet. Instead, it will open up opportunities for Hibbert, West, Stuckey, Miles and others. Hill has never been and will never be an offensive juggernaut, as his career average of just over 10 a game suggest. But he has shown a willingness and ability to step up for huge nights, including this shot against Portland back in February, a clutch three of his 37 that night.
Two seasons ago, which was the season where Granger’s body truly began to fail him, the Pacers needed some offensive help, and they got it from Hill who averaged a career-best 14 a game that year. Last year, his average dropped nearly four points a game, but that was in no small part because Stephenson had become the nightly triple-double threat he is now. So, I believe Hill can and will do this. It doesn’t have to be an astronomical difference or be anything he’s not, just prove that he’s not the weak link and be more than dependable in a season the blue and gold will need him most.