The Philadelphia 76ers will get a step closer to full strength on Monday night when Paul George makes his season debut against his old team, the Los Angeles Clippers, according to ESPN.
George had a difficult first season in Philly, appearing in just 41 games and posting his worst statistical season since his sophomore year in the league. This offseason, George underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after suffering an injury in a summer workout, causing him to miss the first 12 games of the Sixers’ season.
Without George, the Sixers have been one of the NBA’s pleasant surprises, going 7-5 thanks to All-NBA caliber play from Tyrese Maxey and third overall pick VJ Edgecombe emerging as a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. Adding George back into the lineup will require some finesse from coach Nick Nurse, as it isn’t as simple as just plugging in a former All-NBA player and making the team better.
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There are some potential challenges in adding George back to the Sixers’ lineup, as three of their best players in this young season have been wings — Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre. Nurse will have to figure out how to shift their roles with George back in the fold while trying to keep the style of play that’s allowed Philly to thrive early this year.
Still, that’s a challenge the Sixers should embrace, because if George can return to the form he showed two years ago in L.A., he is still among the NBA’s best two-way wings. Last year he struggled to find his fit alongside Maxey and Joel Embiid — who has been in and out of the lineup this year once again — but perhaps Philly’s new emphasis on pushing the pace can bring a bit more out of George, provided his knee is healthy enough to play that kind of style.
