SALT LAKE CITY — All game long, the Indiana Pacers relied on Paul George, who scored a career-high 48 points Saturday night against the Utah Jazz. But when it really counted, George was nowhere to be found as the Jazz took a thrilling 122-119 overtime victory at Vivint Arena.
George was unstoppable most of the night as he hit 15 of 27 field goals, including 8 of 11 from 3-point range. But in the overtime period, George was able to take just two shots and didn’t take a single shot over the final four minutes of OT when the Jazz outscored the Pacers 12-6.
Instead, four other players took 10 shots, including three in the final 17 seconds, one by C.J. Miles, one by George Hill and one by Jordan Hill when the Pacers were desperately trying to tie the score and force a second overtime.
Indiana coach Frank Vogel was disappointed in the loss after it looked like his team was going to win, up five points with just over a minute to play in regulation and had four different leads in the overtime period. Vogel wasn’t extremely talkative in his postgame interview.
When asked if his team was trying to get the ball to George in overtime, he said, “Clearly.’’ When asked if it had anything to do with the Jazz defense, he paused for a second before answering, “Yes.”
George, on the other hand, was willing to talk and he didn’t put the blame on his teammates or act frustrated by not getting a single shot in the last four minutes of overtime.
“We have other guys on the team that can make plays, we just went in a different direction,’’ George said. “I trust my teammates to make the right plays, but it just didn’t turn out for us. It really hurts especially being up and not taking care of business to close.’’
George was coming off his lowest scoring game of the season at Portland where he finished with just 11 points on 4-of-17 shooting, including 0 for 9 from 3-point range.
However, he burned the Jazz with 20 points in the first half and then added 11 more in the third quarter. Every time the Jazz would threaten to break away in the fourth quarter, George would answer, making a 3-pointer at the 7:48 mark to cut the lead to 92-91 and making another three at the 6:38 mark to tie the game at 94.
Vogel said he was happy with George’s shot at the end of regulation.
When he made back-to-back baskets, a 15-footer from the baseline and a 12-footer in the lane, the Pacers led 106-101. George made a pair of free throws to put the Pacers up 110-107 with 15.8 seconds left and after Derrick Favors made a three-point play to tie the game five seconds later, the Pacers left the game in George’s hands.
However, with Gordon Hayward guarding him up top, he tried a 3-pointer from the top of the key and it bounced off the rim, sending the game to overtime.
“It’s his decision-making,’’ he said. “The guy has 48. You get him the ball and let him get a shot.’’