Will Paul George Return for 76ers-Magic on Friday?

Paul George missed 76ers vs. Magic action on Wednesday night.

Nov 15, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) drives to the basket past Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23)in the first quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia 76ers went into Wednesday’s action against the Orlando Magic without the nine-time All-Star Paul George.

Similar to Joel Embiid, George has not been playing in back-to-backs this year. As he’s dealt with multiple minor knee injuries since the preseason, George has had to monitor his playing time.

After a three-game absence, George returned to face the Detroit Pistons last weekend. He checked in for 26 minutes to contribute 11 points, eight rebounds, and five assists during the win.

In the following game against the Charlotte Hornets, George produced 29 points, two rebounds, and eight assists in 37 minutes of action. After playing a season-high in minutes in Charlotte, George was given the night off against Orlando on Wednesday.

Nov 15, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) drives to the basket against the Orlando Magic in the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Nick Nurse noted that George’s absence was nothing to be concerned about. George has been left off of the Sixers’ injury report for Friday’s game against the Magic, which confirms he’s healthy and ready to play.

Joel Embiid Extends Absence Streak

Joel Embiid’s playing status once again came into question ahead of the 76ers’ Wednesday night loss against Orlando, as he didn’t play due to knee injury management.

While Sixers head coach Nick Nurse revealed that Embiid could get the nod to play on Friday, he couldn’t be so sure. As it turns out, Embiid will take another night off.

Nov 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts with Los Angeles Clippers guard Nicolas Batum (33) after the game at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

According to the 76ers’ injury report, he’s been ruled out due to knee injury management once again. For Embiid, Friday’s game will be his seventh absence in a row.

At the start of the 2024-2025 NBA season, Embiid was ruled out for the team’s home opener against the Milwaukee Bucks. With an injury management plan in place, Embiid anticipated missing action throughout the year, even without a setback.

The All-Star center sat out for the first nine games of the year. He debuted on November 12 and missed the following game. Embiid would play in three-straight games after returning on November 15, but swelling in the knee called for another two games off against Brooklyn and Los Angeles. At this point, Embiid’s targeted return date is unknown. As Nick Nurse noted on Wednesday, the Sixers won’t rule him out for an extended period. They’ll play it day by day, and when he’s ready, he’ll play.