Concussions aren’t nearly as serious a concern in basketball as they are in football, but doctors can’t be pleased to hear what Paul George had to say Tuesday night.
The Indiana Pacers swingman took a knee to the head from Dwyane Wade while the two fought for a loose ball during the fourth quarter of the Pacers’ 87-83 loss to the Miami Heat.
George played the rest of the game after remaining down on the court for a brief moment, but he told reporters afterward that he “blacked out” from the hit and experienced blurred vision as a result of it.
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George reportedly did not inform team doctors of his impaired vision, though, only mentioning his pain.
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Under NBA rules, a player diagnosed with concussion — George was not and was deemed fit to return to the game — must be symptom-free for 24 hours before he can be cleared to play.
George played 43 minutes and scored 14 points in Tuesday’s loss, which evened the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals at one game apiece. Game 3 is set for Saturday night in Miami.
UPDATE (2:59 p.m.): As it turns out, George was, in fact, diagnosed with a concussion Wednesday morning. Here’s the official statement from the Pacers:
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