INDIANAPOLIS– Cavaliers guard George Hill underwent an MRI on his back on Saturday, and remains listed as questionable for Game 4 against the Indiana Pacers. Head coach Tyronn Lue confirmed the news during his media availability following practice.
Hill injured his back in Game 1 of the opening round series. Per the team, he re-aggravated the injury during the third quarter of Game 3 on Friday night. Hill was subbed into the game in the fourth quarter, but only lasted 30 seconds because of his back.
On Friday night, Hill put up 13 points, nine of which came in the first quarter. The team maintains a preliminary diagnosis of back spasms, and the MRI results are not currently known. But if Hill cannot suit up on Sunday, Jose Calderon will likely start in his place. Calderon did not play at all in Game 3.
When Hill was hurt during the fourth quarter, Lue said he opted to have LeBron James run the point forward because he felt it was unfair to Calderon to put him in during the final frame when he had not played the previous three.
“It’s hard to try and put a guy in in the fourth quarter to try to say, ‘save the team’ when he hasn’t played that whole three quarters,” Lue said of Calderon. “It’s part of the game, it’s the playoffs. To put Jose in that tough spot, I didn’t want to do that. Right now G-Hill is getting an MRI on his back to see what’s going on so we’ll see going forward. So you might be seeing Jose.”
Game 4 tips off on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. as the Cavs look to avoid a 3-1 series hole.
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