USA - George, Duncan pour in the points in series opener

SAN ANTONIO (NBA) - The NBA got outstanding performances from the young and the old in the opening games of the conference finals.

Paul George led the Indiana Pacers to a 107-96 triumph over the defending champions Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday, while Tim Duncan fired the San Antonio Spurs to a 122-105 defeat of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

George, a leading candidate to play for the USA this summer at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, continued his rise to stardom by hitting seven of his 13 shots from the floor, including three of six from the arc, en route to 24 points.

The 24-year-old wing also did well defensively, as he has for most of the season.

George was a key, but certainly not a one-man wrecking crew as five other Pacers also hit double-digits in points.

Roy Hibbert was also immense with 19 points and nine rebounds for Indiana.

LeBron James had a game-high 27 points in defeat for Miami.

George says Indiana must keep their feet on the ground and take it one game at a time.

"We've been complacent many times," he said.

"We just can't get complacent.

"We've got to stay humbled off this win and come in with the same mind-set that we have to get another one."

The 38-year-old Duncan, who represented the USA at the 2004 Athens Olympics, poured in 27 points and corralled seven rebounds for San Antonio.

He was aided by Argentina great Manu Ginobili.

The 36-year-old had 18 points.

Frenchman Tony Parker, who scored 14 points, also had 12 assists.

The 32-year-old playmaker is averaging just 5.5 assists in the playoffs.

"He knew that they weren't going to let him shoot the ball like he did in the last series," Duncan said of Parker.

"They were going to try to take that away from him, so he knew he was going to have to be an assist man."

Brazil international center Tiago Splitter started and had six points and eight rebounds for the Spurs.

Another candidate to play for the USA at the World Cup, San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard contributed 16 points, six rebounds and three steals.

Indiana will play at home again on Tuesday night, looking to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

San Antonio host Game 2 of their series on Wednesday.

FIBA