#WelcomeBackPG

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This was a day straight from a screenwriter's laptop, born from a script for a made-for-TV movie that might have been a bit too strong on the sappy side, but still one of those feel-good yarns with a happy ending.

Paul George returned to the Pacers Sunday, playing his first game for them since May 30 of last year and his first game for anybody since Aug. 1. It went better than anyone had a right to expect, as he scored 13 points in 14 ½ minutes, hitting 3-of-6 3-pointers before an adoring sellout crowd, and oh yeah — the Pacers picked up a 112-89 victory over Miami that was essential to their hopes of squeezing into a playoff spot.

That almost seemed secondary to the day's drama, however, which had been building for eight months. George, the Pacers' franchise player, made it all the way back after breaking his right leg in a horrific-looking accident in a Team USA scrimmage in Las Vegas. All the way back despite all of the preseason assumptions that he wouldn't be seen in a uniform until the 2015-16 season. Not all the way back to where he was a year ago, when he was an All-Star starter and third-team All-NBA selection, but back enough to play in a real game. And contribute.

When he left the game to a standing ovation with 7:46 left, all but 26 seconds of his 15-minute restriction drained, coach Frank Vogel intercepted him on his way to the bench with a man-hug. “Damn, I missed you,” Vogel said.

But that was merely the closing moment of an action-packed day that saw a mountain of love dumped on the 24-year-old, who's already experienced a lifetime of drama. Before that, he passed through the following scenes:

His daughter Olivia, about one-year-old, was staying with him. She helped make him tired and assure a good night's sleep.

He attended church that morning at his sister's urging, one he had not attended before. The minister offered him praise during the service and met with him privately afterward. That helped relax him, he said.

Mike Krzyzewski, coach of Team USA and of the Duke team that will play for the NCAA championship on Monday, met with him before the game to offer good wishes. “It meant everything,” George said. “It's almost like I've played for him my whole life. (He's) one of the best human beings in the world.”

John Schnatter, owner of the Papa John's pizza chain, for whom George does commercials, was sitting in the front row, before giving up his seats to George's parents, who flew in from California for the occasion. Even with his shaky eyesight, George could pick them out because they were dressed in Easter green. He called his dad's suit a “gutsy outfit.”

Martin Dempsey, a four-star general and the United States current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff presented him an honorary dog tag in a pre-game ceremony, something George had missed when Team USA played in Europe after he was injured.

And then there were the fans, 18,000 of them, many of them holding yellow signs that read “Welcome Back PG.” They cheered him when he took the court, cheered more loudly when he reported to the scorer's table to enter the game with 5:34 left in the first quarter and exploded when he hit his first shot attempt, an off-balance 14-footer after curling off Roy Hibbert's screen.

George missed his next four shots, including a breakaway layup in the final minute of the quarter when it appeared he couldn't decide whether to dunk or lay the ball in the basket, but he opened the second period with a 3-pointer from the left corner. That was the one that made him feel like he was back. And he went on to hit two more 3-pointers in the fourth quarter –  a quick catch-and-shoot off an inbounds pass and a well-defended shot from out front moments later.

Cue the soundtrack and roll the credits. That was enough for one debut.

“I felt everything was scripted,” he said later.

Right down to his point total: 13 points in his first game wearing No. 13, having switched from No. 24 in the off-season.

All in all, it couldn't have gone any better for George. He felt some soreness but no pain after the game, and knocked off some of the rust that had accumulated over the past eight months. Well, there was the pain of the embarrassment of that missed layup in the first quarter. He was dribbling toward the basket with Luol Deng in hot pursuit, the crowd beginning to roar in anticipation of a classic PG slam. But appeared tentative and missed the shot.

“I saw Luol running me down,” George said. “I was trying to break free running from him. I saw him let up but by that time I was running too fast to stop. Which is why I'm happy I chose to come back and get some games under my feet. It was an embarrassing moment, but I'm happy to be embarrassed at this time.”

George had said he would measure his readiness for a comeback on his defense. He was pleased with himself at that end of the court, although he was surprised Miami didn't challenge him. His offense might have been a surprise to many of the fans, but not to him. He's been shooting relentlessly during the rehab process, and besides...

“I hurt my leg, not my arms,” he said.

“I knew I was going to be able to make some shots,” he said. “I was just playing with confidence, just happy to get some open looks and the ball dropped.”

Luis Scola, whose season-high 23 points and 12 rebounds were overshadowed by George's return, admitted to being surprised by what he saw.

“It's hard to do what he did,” Scola said. “He played really well. He hit a couple of long shots. Those sometimes go in, but sometimes they don't, and that got him going. But he played really, really well. I was surprised. I didn't expect him to play that well.”

George's next couple of games might be more difficult. The anticipation is gone and the home fans won't be in his corner when the Pacers take their playoff quest to New York on Wednesday and Detroit on Friday. It will be impossible to duplicate Sunday's atmosphere, and difficult to duplicate his performance. Whatever he can give from here on out will be a bonus. What he did against the Heat would certainly be welcomed, but not reasonably expected.

“I'm still going to be cautious,” Scola said. “He was out for a long time and it's very hard to play after that. It's going to take a toll at some point. It's not fair to him for us to rely on any help he can give us. He's a special player and special players can do special things, but still, it's the wrong approach to say he's going to make us qualified for the playoffs.”

But you never know. George has been full of surprises already in his career.

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George Follows a Perfect Script

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G2 Zone: Pacers vs Heat

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Area 55: Pacers vs Heat

Wheat Hotchkiss

Sunday's game unfolded as if it was written by one of the finest Hollywood screenwriters. And if that were the case, it would have to be rated PG-13.

Paul George scored 13 points in his season debut as the Pacers (34-43) rolled to a 112-89 win over the Miami Heat (34-43) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. With the win, Indiana has moved into a tie with the Heat for ninth place in the Eastern Conference, just a game back of idle Boston for the eighth and final playoff spot.

RELATED: Running Blog of PG's Season Debut »

George's return drew national attention. The All-Star forward originally fractured his right tibia and fibula in the USA Basketball Showcase on Aug. 1 and returned to practice on Feb. 26, but the Pacers waited until they felt he was completely ready before allowing him to return to game action.

George first checked into the game with 5:34 remaining in the first quarter to a thunderous ovation from the capacity crowd.

"(The reception) was probably the greatest moment that I've had," George said. "It was so hard to not get caught up in the moment."

The noise grew by a few more decibel levels when he knocked down his first shot, a 14-foot jumper with 3:45 to play in the period.

George played 7:02 in the first half, registering 5 points, two rebounds, and one assist. He was even better in the second, draining two more 3-pointers in 7:32.

All told, George finished with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting (3-of-6 from 3-point range) to go along with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

"I knew I was going to be able to make some shots," George said. "I was just playing with confidence. I was just happy to get some open looks and (for) the ball to drop."

PHOTO GALLERY: PG Returns to the Court »

While George's return drew the most attention, his teammates got off to a fast start. Indiana scored the game's first nine points and led for the vast majority of the half. The Heat surged in front with a 14-6 run late in the second quarter, but the Pacers scored the last five points of the half to regain control.

Indiana pulled away in the second half, closing the third quarter with a 20-8 run that gave them an 11-point lead and extending the margin in the fourth.

Luis Scola led the charge for the Blue & Gold, scoring 17 of his season-high 23 points in the fourth quarter. The Argentinian also collected 12 rebounds to record his ninth double-double of the season.

"Just one of those days that things were going my way," Scola said. "I got a couple easy shots and got some confidence."

Solomon Hill had 19 points for Indiana, while C.J. Miles added 17. The Pacers' starting wings combined to go 8-for-14 from 3-point range. The Pacers dominated the game from the 3-point line, making 14-of-30 attempts from beyond the arc. Miami, conversely, was just 2-for-20 from long range.

"It was big to be able to knock down those shots and spread their defense out," Miles said. "They were undersize tonight, they've got some injuries, so we knew they were going to have to help (inside).

"They went zone...my eyes kind of light up when I see zone, because that means somebody's not attached to me all the time."

Heat guard Dwyane Wade led all scorers with 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting. Goran Dragic and James Ennis each finished with 15 points for Miami.

The Pacers now hit the road for a pair of games against the Knicks (on Wednesday) and the Pistons (on Friday) before returning to The Fieldhouse to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 12. With five games remaining in the regular season, every game will go a long way in determining whether the team can get into the postseason.

RELATED: Playoff Picture (Latest Standings and More) »

The Pacers have now made 10 or more 3-point field goals in four of their last seven contests. Indiana is 7-4 on the year when making at least 10 3-pointers.

Scola's 17 points in the fourth quarter were the most by a Pacers player in any single period this season.

David West finished with 12 points and six rebounds, going 10-for-12 from the free throw line, setting season highs for both free throws made and attempted.

The Blue & Gold outrebounded Miami, 55-37 overall and 20-7 on the offensive glass. Scola had seven offensive boards, while Roy Hibbert collected six. In four games against Miami this season, the Pacers have outrebounded the Heat by an average of 11.8 rebounds per game.

"There is no bad time to get a Paul George back. With what we’re up against certainly, we have an uphill battle of trying to catch the teams ahead of us, it’s good to have him back." -Pacers head coach Frank Vogel

"Success, personally, was being able to move and play confidently and not overcompensating with my left leg. I felt confident planting and cutting and jumping, doing everything normally on my right leg." -George

"It meant everything. I have the utmost respect for Coach K. I’m really happy for his success right now. It’s almost like I’ve played for him my whole life. That’s the relationship I have with him, one of the best human beings in this world. It was great to see him before this game tonight." -George on his pregame visit with Duke and Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski, in town for the Final Four

"It was a different energy and we needed it. It was perfect timing because it was Miami, a team that we've played in the playoffs many years, it was at home, it was Paul coming back, it was a virtual playoff game we needed to win big time." -Scola

"I’m happy that he’s been able to recover. The basketball world was saddened when he got hurt, he is one of the good guys in this league. It’s good to see him back on the court. He’s still working on his game, but he looked good." -Wade on seeing George return to the court

"You know we are like a brotherhood in the NBA, even though we compete against each other. I’m happy for him, for his family, and for the Pacers. When you go back and see how he got hurt, you couldn’t even watch it. It was that bad. So I’m happy to see him be able to put it behind him. I’m not happy that he came back against us. But still happy to have him back." -Heat forward Luol Deng on George's debut

With Sunday's win, the Pacers improved to 21-18 at The Fieldhouse and secured a winning record at home for the 26th straight season — the longest active streak in the NBA.

The Pacers travel to New York on Wednesday for their fourth and final meeting this season with the Knicks.

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Game Rewind: Pacers 112, Heat 89

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Pacers 112, Heat 89

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We at Pacers.com collected the best moments from Paul George's return in real time, complete with videos, tweets, and Instragram posts from around the league. Scroll down to watch PG's night as it unfolded, as he scored 13 points (of course) to fuel the Pacers in their winning effort over Miami.

PHOTO GALLERY: Paul George's Season Debut »

8:10 PM: PG hits back-to-back 3-pointers and sends the crowd into a frenzy. The Pacers now lead 85-71 with 9:33 remaining in the game. He has scored 13 points and picked up two rebounds and two steals.

8:02 PM: Paul George takes a jumper from the elbow to put the Pacers up by 12. He now has seven points.

7:53 PM: Paul George checks back into the game with 3:18 remaining in the third quarter.

6:42 PM: After a couple of missed shots, Paul George connected on a 3-pointer from the corner, his first long-range make of the year. He checks out of the game with five points and two boards in seven minutes of play.

6:35 PM: Paul gets a look at the hoop but can't convert the basket. Luckily, his teammate Luis Scola gets the tip in to keep the Pacers in front. George finishes the first quarter with two points and two rebounds.

6:29 PM: PG gets the moment he's been waiting for all season and drills a tough jumper to extend Indiana's lead to six points. His first bucket of the 2014-15 season.

6:27 PM: Paul George checks into the game for the first time this season, and gets a thunderous applause every time he touches the ball.

5:51 PM: Paul George emerged from the tunnel for some pregame shooting. The fans already in attendance gave PG a standing ovation; many of them holding #WelcomeBackPG signs.

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Paul George Makes Season Debut - Running Blog

After Paul George was injured prior to the World Cup of Basketball last summer, Team USA went to Spain to continue their competition.

Before the team left, there was a ceremony where Four-Star General Martin Dempsey, the United States current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presented the USA team with honorary dog tags. Since Paul was unable to participate in the ceremony, General Dempsey will present Paul with his honorary dog tags on April 5 before the game.