The Philadelphia 76ers have started the season strong, boasting a 7-4 record and thrilling fans with a nail-biting 102-100 win over the Celtics. Yet one star has been glaringly absent: Paul George. The reason? The familiar, frustrating story of an athlete sidelined by injuries. George has long battled setbacks; last season he played just 41 games, and since 2018-19, he’s cleared the 56-game mark only once. This season, he’s yet to step onto the court, still recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in July. Even so, each practice brings him a step closer to finally making his season debut.

Shams Charania shared an update on X regarding Paul George’s injury, tweeting, “76ers’ Paul George is in the final stage of his debut process and will be re-evaluated later this week. He is moving closer to a return, but doctors want additional strength of his left quadriceps to support the knee before clearance.”

Last season was a difficult one for George, as injuries limited him to just 41 games. In those appearances, he averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, while shooting 43 percent from the field in 32.5 minutes. With the 76ers performing well without him, George’s eventual return promises to bolster a team already showing flashes of championship potential.

NBA insider Jake Fischer had pegged Paul George’s return for early November, but here we are in the second week, and PG still hasn’t been cleared to play. He’s been fully participating in practices, though, slowly easing back into action.

Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse has made it clear that when George does return, he wants him contributing on both ends of the floor while regaining his rhythm with the team. “He’s going to help us. To me, he looks really good on defense. He’s just got such an instinctual feel for that end of the floor. And he’s got the size at 6-9, and there’s deflections and all that stuff,” Nurse explained.

While George has yet to suit up, the Sixers have been holding their own. Tyrese Maxey has exploded offensively, second in the league with 33.2 points per game, while rookie VJ Edgecombe has shown star potential. Quentin Grimes is stepping up as a candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, and Joel Embiid, though under a minutes restriction, continues to anchor the team. Yet, there’s a clear gap: George was brought in as a veteran wing presence and secondary star, someone to create shots, defend the perimeter, and add versatility alongside Maxey and Embiid.

Greg Frank of Liberty Ballers weighed in on expectations, emphasizing George needs to live up to his four-year, $212 million contract. “The only way anyone should be happy with George taking on a lesser role this season is if he’s willing to give about 65% of his salary back to the Sixers. When that doesn’t happen, just realize that you’re willfully accepting George becoming one of the most expensive role players in NBA history,” he wrote. 

The absence of George is especially felt in late-game situations, like in the loss to the Bulls where a 20-point lead slipped away because the team lacked an additional playmaker and defensive stopper on the wing.

With George still sidelined, the Sixers are relying on a mix of emerging talent and strategic rotations to maintain their position near the top of the standings. Once he’s cleared, he’ll likely begin with limited minutes, gradually integrating back into the flow. 

Edwards shines as 76ers edge Celtics in nail-biter finish

The Philadelphia 76ers pulled off a thrilling 102-100 victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, edging their rivals in a tight matchup at the Wells Fargo Center. The game started close, with Philadelphia leading 23-22 after the first quarter and stretching that to a 10-point advantage by halftime. The Celtics came alive in the third, outscoring the Sixers 36-20 to take a six-point lead, but Philadelphia refused to fold in the final period.

The turning point came in the fourth quarter, led by rookie Justin Edwards, who was unstoppable off the bench. The 21-year-old forward drained three consecutive threes in just over a minute to put the Sixers ahead 93-92. Tyrese Maxey also contributed with 21 points and nine assists, while Quentin Grimes added 18 points and Andre Drummond grabbed a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double. For Boston, Jaylen Brown led with 24 points, Derrick White added 18 points and seven assists, and Anfernee Simons chipped in 17 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Philadelphia’s late surge.

The final seconds were a nail-biter, with Kelly Oubre Jr. securing the game-winning put-back layup with 8.7 seconds left after Edwards’ missed shot. Boston had one last chance, as Derrick White heaved a deep shot and Neemias Queta missed a close-range attempt, leaving Philadelphia to celebrate a hard-fought win. The victory gave the Sixers a 2-1 lead in the season series against Boston and boosted them to 7-4 in the Eastern Conference standings.