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 the 2018-19 season, he has 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. Starting with a left knee injury he sustained during an offseason workout, which required arthroscopic knee surgery in July 2025.

This surgery caused him to miss the start of the season and much of the year, as he was unable to play in the season opener and spent significant time recovering through rehabilitation instead of being on the court.

Throughout the 2024-25 season, George struggled with several injuries, including groin and finger issues in addition to his knee problems. 

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 returns, he wants him to contribute 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.

Paul George’s tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers has been a high-stakes gamble from the jump —it’s teetering on the edge of redemption or regret. Signed to a four-year, $212 million maximum contract in July 2024 —complete with a 15% trade kicker and a player option for 2027-28. The deal commits the Sixers to paying the 35-year-old wing $51.7 million for the 2025-26 season alone.

This isn’t just salary cap filler; it’s a franchise-altering investment meant to pair George’s All-Star pedigree with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, forming a “Big Three” to challenge the Eastern Conference elite.

The injury bug that has haunted George for years —knee hyperextensions, adductor strains, and more —struck again this offseason. In early July 2025, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to address damage from a workout mishap, forcing him to miss the entirety of training camp and the first 11 games of the 2025-26 season.

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 that 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 24-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. 

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

The Philadelphia 76ers pulled off a thrilling 102-100 victory over the Boston Celtics, edging their rivals in a tight matchup at the Wells Fargo Center. All of their matchups this season have come down to a single possession in the clutch —the season opener, 117-116 win on the road —securing back-to-back defensive possessions to stop Payton Pritchard, the 108-109 NBA Cup loss at home with Embiid’s deep three missing off the mark, and tonight’s clutch hard-fought win.

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.