Two-time All-Star Paul George has a long way to go after surgery according to doctors. Even though George has said that he is resting comfortable right after surgery. Doctors are speculating that the NBA star will be undergoing a long recovery process.

Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird has also issued an optimistic statement hoping George will be able to return to Indianapolis by next week right before his long rehab process will start.

When Bird was ask last Saturday if he has a time table for George he said "It is way too early to speculate on his return as the No. 1 priority for everyone will be his recovery. Our initial discussions with our doctors and the doctors in Las Vegas have us very optimistic."

According to Dr. James Gladstone, the co-chief of sports medicine at Icahn School at Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York "The thing about breaking a bone is that if you get it back in the appropriate position, it can be as good as new. If the muscle is not involved and the bone and muscle are fully healed, then I think he will get back (to his previous form)."

George has suffered an open tibia-fibula fracture on his right leg right after he landed on his right leg awkwardly after trying to defend a layup. His bone snaps right above the ankle early in the fourth quarter of the games. The remaining time was cancelled thereafter.

Gladstone is not the one treating George but he said that athletes would need nine to 12 months to completely recover with regards to this type of injury.

But that's not the only problem that George has to face as he needs to extend his patience to fully recover.

According to Dr. Patrick Kersey "It's a challenge because (athletes) want to push the envelope always. First, he has to get back to a normal life and then the body needs to work in an efficient way. Once those pieces are in place you can kind of start training and then return to basketball."

A lot will be looking forward to George return in the hard court.