Tagumpay ang operasyon ni George

LAS VEGAS -- Kaagad sumailalim si Indiana Pa-cers All-Star Paul George sa isang operasyon sa kanyang nabaling kanang binti at  naging matagumpay ito pero inaasahang mananatili pa ito sa ospital ng tatlong araw.

Isinagawa ang operasyon sa 6-foot-9 na si George sa Sunrise Hospital para ayusin ang bumukang tibia-fibula fracture, ayon sa USA Basketball sa kanilang ipinalabas na statement.

Sina Dr. David Silverberg, Dr. Joseph Yu at USA Basketball team physician Riley Williams ang namahala sa surgery.

Nabali ang kanang binti ni George sa intra-squad scrimmage ng U.S. national team noong Biyernes.

Tinangka niyang supalpalin ang fast-break layup ni James Harden sa 9:33 minuto sa fourth quarter at sa kanyang pagbagsak ay tumama ang kanyang kanang binti sa backboard stanchion.

Kaagad siyang tinulungan ng mga trainers at matapos ang 10 minuto ay inilabas si George ng court na naka-stretcher.

Sa pagkakadismaya ng mga players, inihayag ni head coach Mike Krzyzewski sa mga manonood na hindi na tatapusin ang scrimmage bilang respeto kay George at sa kanyang pamilya.

Naglabas si Larry Bird, ang Pacers president ng basketball operations, ng isang updated statement tungkol kay George.

“We are hopeful at some point next week Paul will return to Indianapolis to continue his recovery,’’ wika ni Bird. “There is no question about the impact on our team but our goal is to be as strong-willed and determined as Paul will be in coming back. Our franchise has had setbacks in its history but has demonstrated the abilities to recover. Paul will provide the example of that off the court and it is up to the rest of us to provide that example on the court. Any discussion regarding the future of our team would be inappropriate at this time. Our focus is solely on Paul and doing whatever we can to help.’’

“This is a first for us in USA Basketball, to have something like this take place,’’ sabi naman ni USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo. ‘“It’s a tough situation for our entire organization, the coaches, the players. Very, very emotional. There’s no way the game could have gone on under the circumstances.’’

Sinabi ng mga doktor na aabutin ng 18 buwan bago ang full recovery ni George.