Reviving the 76ers: What Paul George’s Return Means Following a 1-5 Start

The Philadelphia 76ers played against the Phoenix Suns last night, but they still have only one win this season. Joel Embiid and Paul George have missed several games due to injury. In their absence, Tyrese Maxey has carried the team. Despite George’s return from injury, the 76ers narrowly lost 118-116, dropping to 1-5.

In this game, George debuted on the court after going out on injury. Earlier in the preseason, George suffered a bone bruise to his left knee and has not played on the court since then. George seemed a little rusty, and many fans can agree with this. However, he still scored a total of 15 points. Despite this, he had a great comeback game. However, he didn’t end it on a high note, as he missed a potential tying basket in the last moments of the game. George didn’t score anything at all in the first quarter but made a big comeback in the second half of the game. He finished with five rebounds and four assists. 

This is great for the 76ers moving forward. They acquired Paul George during the offseason from the Los Angeles Clippers on a four-year, $212 million contract. He previously played with the Clippers for five seasons, where he consistently logged high stats. In the game against the Suns, George showed that the 76ers need a player like him to make a difference.

The only missing piece of the puzzle for this team is Joel Embiid. Head coach Nick Nurse said that Embiid is doing much better and should hopefully be able to play in this upcoming week's games. The center has been out with a knee injury. Once he returns, he and Paul George should form a great dynamic duo and bring power to the home court in Philadelphia. Embiid, the seven-foot center, will be re-evaluated on Tuesday and is expected to be ready to play.