There were all the wrong nerves or nervousness for Paul George in his debut with the 76ers on Friday. The veteran forward made things look easy against the Timberwolves in his debut with the Sixers, finishing with 23 points and six rebounds on 8 of 15 shooting from the field.
“I felt good,” George said after the game. “I think the main thing for me was to catch my breath and try to find some rhythm.”
George’s skills were on display, especially in the second quarter, after Philadelphia had trouble finding the bottom of the net in the first 12 minutes of action. George scored 13 of his 23 points in the second quarter, showing he can lift the offensive load when needed. Although the Sixers lost 121-111, which isn’t too heartless considering it’s just the preseason, it was the first tangible proof that George was the important spark the Sixers needed when Joel Embiid inevitably misses games.
“I have to be aggressive,” George mentioned. “Regardless of whether it’s preseason or not, I’m trying to develop habits. These guys have to get used to me. I have to get used to them. So I think I had to be myself. You know, everyone has to be themselves.” . for this to work.”
With Embiid out of Friday’s game, it was George and Tyrese Maxey who led the way for the Sixers, as the two took turns working on offense and picking up speed. Having George on the roster allows the Sixers to be flexible with the lineups they run. With Maxey and George on the field together, the Sixers can operate in a faster generation without sacrificing defense. George also gives the Sixers an extra ball handler who can come into his own, something that was missing in the team’s final season.
George joined the Sixers as a remote agent this summer, leaving the Clippers for the next five seasons in Los Angeles was a surprising development, not because George was joining Philadelphia, something that had been rumored for quite some time, but because of the truth. that the Clippers let George go for no reason, recovering incorrect assets in the process. Clearly anyone of George’s caliber just walks out the door and not having a complex industry on your desk doesn’t happen very often in the NBA lately, so this was a home run breakthrough for the Sixers as they try to claw their way to winning . a championship.
George not only contributes to Philadelphia’s offensive intensity and is someone who can play on-ball and off-ball games, hit three-pointers, pick off players one-on-one, and set up teammates for shots, but he is also a worthy defender. capable of becoming elite on that end of the field in the playoffs. George also serves as insurance for the Sixers when Embiid misses the occasional game or two.
With George in tow, this is easily the best team assembled around Embiid. We haven’t identified the trio of Embiid, George and Maxey as playing together but, on paper, the compatibility will have to be perfect. And if Friday night was any indication of what the Sixers are committing to getting out of George this season, next season will be very difficult to achieve.
