76ers Coach Downplays Concern for Paul George Before Magic Game

Paul George's absence for Wednesday's game against the Magic isn't concerning for the 76ers.

Nov 20, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) catches a pass during warm ups prior to the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Wednesday night’s game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic marked the second matchup of a back-to-back set for the Sixers. Considering the Sixers have some veterans managing setbacks, there were a few players in question for Wednesday’s action.

After the Sixers’ Tuesday night win over the Charlotte Hornets, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse mentioned Paul George as a potential rest candidate. With George recently recovering from a bone bruise, they are trying to make sure the nine-time All-Star avoids further setbacks after he dealt with multiple already this year.

The Sixers ruled George out of Wednesday’s game. Prior to tip-off against Orlando at home, Nick Nurse confirmed that George’s absence is nothing to be concerned about.

Paul George (injury management) ruled out Wednesday.

— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) December 4, 2024

“Just heavy minutes for him last night,” said the head coach. “He got caught in a tough game, and I think he might have played 15 straight to end it. Close to 38 for the night, which is by far his most of the year.”

Before Tuesday’s action in Charlotte, George averaged 29 minutes of playing time in nine games. He exceeded 30 minutes on five occasions. As Nurse mentioned, George exceeded his season high in minutes against the Hornets on Tuesday by spending a little over 37 minutes on the court.

During that time, George hit on 63 percent of his shots from the field and 67 percent of his threes to score 29 points. He also came down with two rebounds and dished out eight assists.

PAUL GEORGE TIED A SEASON-HIGH 29 PTS AS THE 76ERS BEAT THE HORNETS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GGI2h6mzoE

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 4, 2024

Through the Sixers’ first 19 games of the season, George made just nine appearances. When the regular season started, George was dealing with an injury he suffered during the postseason. As a result, he missed the first five games of the year.

After making his debut with the Sixers against the Phoenix Suns on November 4, George appeared in five straight games. He received a night off on November 13 but returned to the court for a three-game stretch. During the November 20 matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, George left after 17 minutes of action after going down with another knee injury. He missed three games in a row.

The Sixers will host the Magic again on Friday after Wednesday’s matchup. It seems George has a strong chance of returning to the lineup by then.