Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Paul George expected to play, Heat thinking about Greg Oden

Tim Reynolds Associated Press

MIAMI – Indiana’s Paul George will play in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The Pacers announced Friday that George has been cleared “to return to normal basketball activity,” a decision made three days after he was concussed in Game 2 of the Indiana-Miami series.

So that settled one lineup issue. Now, the Heat have a lineup decision to make.

Greg Oden – whose last postseason appearance was April 30, 2009 – may be inserted into the Heat rotation after showing Miami’s coaches in recent days that back issues that slowed him down for weeks may finally be a thing of the past. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra suggested that Oden “could” get some minutes, which would likely come against Indiana center Roy Hibbert.

The series is tied at a game apiece, with Miami grabbing the home-court edge with an 87-83 win at Indianapolis in Game 2.

• Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti said that Serge Ibaka’s injured left calf is showing “a level of movement and stability not thought possible.”

As a result, Ibaka is now considered day to day for the Thunder.