Pacers give back to those in need

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Despite the teams struggles, the Pacers were wearing smiles for their special holiday event at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Coach Frank Vogel, David West, Paul George and others all took part in the teams’ 15th Annual "Come To Our House" dinner, where players served up a hot Thanksgiving meal to hundreds of people who would not normally get one.

The event, started by former Pacer Antonio Davis at the Wheeler Mission has grown to where dinners numbered in the hundreds inside the pavilion. After serving up meals, Pacers forward Paul George told 24-Hour News 8 this city and team welcomed him in as part of a family.

“It was a family the second I got here. Now, it feels like I’m part of it and can really give back. It’s fun to do it with your teammates, the whole staff, coaches and everybody across the community. It’s fun, it’s a good day,” said George.

He also thinks the team can turn around its fortunes.

“It’s easy to say, but we’ve just got to stay with it. Things are just not working out right now offensively. Our defense hasn’t been clicking like we know it can be, but the last thing we do is get down on ourselves. It’s still early in the season, there’s a lot more games to go. I think once we are able to come together and get tied together, we’re a team that could easily pull off ten, 11, 12 wins in a row and stay on that pace the whole year.”

The Pacers next chance comes Friday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse against former Pacers coaches Rick Carlisle, Jim O’Brien, and ex-guard Darren Collison and the Dallas Mavericks.