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76ers Make Early Call on Paul George’s Playing Status vs. Nets

Paul George is not expected to face the Nets on Wednesday.

Justin Grasso

Oct 11, 2024; Des Moines, Iowa, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2024; Des Moines, Iowa, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images / Reese Strickland-Imagn Images
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Following a victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, the Philadelphia 76ers will return to the court on Wednesday to take on the Brooklyn Nets. After an injury scare for Paul George took place on Monday, the Sixers already have an idea of George’s playing status against Brooklyn.

“He’s obviously not going to play tomorrow night,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Tuesday.

While that’s a concerning sign, it shouldn’t be. According to Nurse, George was not slated to play on Wednesday—injury or not.

“He wasn’t going to play tomorrow night anyway.,” Nurse explained.

So far this preseason, George has played in every other game. After missing the opener against New Zealand, George debuted against the Minnesota Timberwolves last Friday.

When the Sixers paid a visit to the Boston Celtics the following night, George got the night off. On Monday, the nine-time All-Star returned to the court. He left during the second quarter with a suspected knee injury.

During the fourth quarter, George was ruled out for the rest of the game due to a knee hyperextension. Both George and Nurse were optimistic about his status moving forward. While the Sixers star still has to undergo further testing, initial returns reveal that George isn’t dealing with anything too severe.

The Sixers will host the Nets for their second and final home preseason game on Wednesday. According to Nurse, a handful of veterans were set to miss the matchup. George and the seven-time All-Star center Joel Embiid will be among that group to miss the action.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

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