An overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets marked Paul George's first home win as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. Although he didn’t play in overtime, PG played a big role in the victory.
Nick Nurse said after the 107-105 win that George didn’t play any minutes of overtime because of a minutes restriction. He was up to 33 when regulation ended. His missed jumper at the end of the fourth quarter, opting to pull up over Cody Martin rather than drive into the paint with five seconds left. In the heat of the battle, he wanted to fight until the end.
“I mean, completely frustrated,” George told reporters after the game. “I was completely frustrated. Just the way this game was going, I wanted to be out there for the guys with that commitment to try to win the game, especially when you're at home, you get on the good side. Luckily, my guys had me.”
The 76ers let George go past his minutes restriction previously. In his season debut, which was delayed after he suffered a bone bruise in his left knee, he played 31 minutes. Nonetheless, the Sixers decided to keep the safeguard for George in place for this game.
Paul George gets poked in the eye in 76ers' win over Hornets
George pointed to Jared McCain as a huge factor in the Sixers' win, joking that he’s already “in Year 5” because of how mature and composed his game is. The rookie scored a team-high 27 points on 10-18 shooting.
Early in the game, George got hit in the face by Hornets rookie Tidjane Salaun as he was attempting a pass. George said he took “a finger right in the eye” that blurred his vision for a little bit. Although he wasn’t taken out of the game following a timeout, he did shoot 1-9 from downtown.
George shot poorly from the field (6-18) but did contribute two steals and a game-high nine assists, showcasing his chemistry with new teammate Guerschon Yabusele, who had 20 points. PG assisted Yabu six times.
The 76ers picked up their second win of the season against the Hornets. Their luck is beginning to turn as Joel Embiid nears his season debut.