Paul George will return to the 76ers’ lineup as Philly makes its postseason push.
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The Philadelphia 76ers will get Paul George back Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls.
For a team that’s gone the better part of four weeks playing with a skeleton crew, and trying to stay afloat in a tight Eastern Conference playoff race with two-way guys, a dynamic rookie and guys playing bigger roles than intended, getting a core piece back on the floor must be like finding water in a desert.
George will immediately be inserted into Philadelphia’s starting lineup, according to coach Nick Nurse. He won’t be subjected to a minutes restriction. The Sixers need George, and they need him badly. He’s going to play right away.
“I’ve been trying to do everything possible to stay engaged,” George said. “I’ve been playing with the scout team. I’ve been doing as much extra work as I can. It’s going to be about cardio, because nothing can simulate actually playing basketball. I think I’m in pretty good shape, but I guess we’re going to find out.”
George returns after serving his 25-game NBA-mandated suspension for taking a banned substance. In his absence, the 76ers have missed him in myriad ways. Let’s highlight them here.
Defense
George’s best attribute this season has been his effective defense, particularly his perimeter defense.
It was a strength throughout his prime, even when he had to combine it with offensive responsibility. But this season, with a decreased offensive role, he made defense more of a priority. George has been sensational at the point of attack. Pre-suspension, he was able to switch onto smaller players and keep them in front.
Because he’s a lot bulkier than he was in his younger days, he’s been able to guard bigger players as well. It’s ironic George used to balk at playing power forward in his younger days, when he’s been so good at it this season. His defense is one of the major reasons the 76ers saw success early in the season against the New York Knicks. Conversely, it tracks that the Knicks saw heightened success against Philadelphia when George wasn’t around. If the 76ers are to make a run down the stretch of the season, George’s point-of-attack defense will be needed. He and rookie guard VJ Edgecombe were Philly’s two best at keeping players in front. Having them both on the floor once again at the same time will be a welcome sight for Nurse.
Shooting
George has accepted being this team’s third option behind Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. One of his most important improvements this season has been with his perimeter shooting.
Last season, which turned out to be one of his worst NBA campaigns, he dipped all the way to 35 percent from 3-point range. This year, he’s been at 38.2 percent and has done so on pretty respectable volume.
One thing that makes George unique as an offensive player is his ability to get shots off from the perimeter. His skill level is vast enough he can catch and shoot, shoot off the dribble or attempt shots off screens. There aren’t many who have all three within their bag. George does, and that makes him a more dangerous role player when he’s found a rhythm. On Tuesday, he talked about his body and how it failed him in spots this season. But the biggest effect there has been when he’s tried to finish at the rim and inside the paint in general. He’s actually been pretty good this season from the perimeter.
Connective play
George is really the only well-rounded connector on the roster. He and Joel Embiid are the best passers on the roster. The team’s passing has suffered without George’s ability to make plays for others and move the ball and make others better. One of the blessings of his suspension is that he’s been able to work closely with Edgecombe by schooling the rookie on reaching key spots on the floor.
You can see how much Edgecombe is starting to improve offensively with the increased reps. With Embiid also likely to return Wednesday night, barring a setback with his strained oblique, the 76ers will suddenly have three dynamic offensive players on the floor after playing short-handed of late. Without Maxey, it remains to be seen how much George will be used as the primary ballhandler as opposed to Edgecombe. But assuming the ball goes through Embiid on Wednesday night, George has been good this season at filling in the blanks and giving the 76ers what they need when playing off his star teammates. Until Maxey returns to the lineup, George may have to take on more usage within the offense. But as a connector, he’s seemed like a natural.
Lineup placement
Without George and Kelly Oubre Jr., the roster’s depth at forward has taken a significant hit. George being eligible again goes a long way toward solving that, especially with getting some dynamic players back on the floor.
Without George, Nurse has often used three-guard lineups. He’s taken Trendon Watford, a natural playmaking power forward, and scaled him down to small forward. Nurse has also given time to Dalen Terry and other two-way depth players.
The 76ers have used many makeshift lineups recently. Even with several easier games on the schedule, it’s almost a minor miracle that Philadelphia went 13-12 during George’s absence. More importantly, George being back allows the 76ers to return role players to their normal slots after they played increased roles. Justin Edwards has made strides off the dribble, but he can now go back to being a 3-and-D player, which is what he’s best suited for.
Can he be Paul George?
In his Tuesday afternoon news conference, George stressed his body needed the time off, he feels well, and he’s in a great place physically.
Although we’ve spent much time on George’s value as a connector and third option, fans have been so critical of George because the 76ers are paying ample money for him to be a third option.
If he’s feeling better, can he get to a place where he’s doing more offensively and affecting games more on offense? As noted, he’s been terrific defensively. Two years ago, though, George was still an All-Star-level player who could sniff an All-NBA nod. It’s certainly rich to think he can get back to that level, even after missing almost two months of basketball. That being said, he still has a chance to make an imprint for Philly.
The 76ers’ remaining games truly matter. George returns during what will be an important stretch for the direction of the season and franchise. He began his news conference with an apology. Nothing says I’m sorry like averaging 20 points, five assists and five rebounds per game during a playoff push.
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Tony Jones is a Staff Writer at The Athletic covering the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA. A native of the East Coast and a journalism brat as a child, he has an addiction to hip-hop music and pickup basketball, and his Twitter page has been used for occasional debates concerning Biggie and Tupac. Follow Tony on Twitter @Tjonesonthenba
