When the Philadelphia 76ers took the court against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday night, fans were treated to a pleasant sight: Paul George back on the basketball court.

That's right, after missing the first 12 games of the 2025-26 NBA season after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee back in July, George started at the small forward against his former team and turned in an encouraging effort, recording nine points, three assists, and seven rebounds in 21 minutes of action. Though he only connected on two of his nine shots from the field, including going 1-4 from beyond the arc, George moved pretty well and was able to operate within the confines of the offense, connecting with rookie VJ Edgecombe for a sweet 3-pointer on one particularly impressive drive.

Unfortunately, George won't be able to follow up his play with enough effort against the Toronto Raptors, as he has officially been ruled out for the 76ers' Wednesday showdown, according to NBC Sports' John Clark, joining Kelly Oubre on the bench for the contest.

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One player who also appeared on the injury report but isn't officially ruled out just yet is Joel Embiid, who hasn't played since the last time Philly took on the Raptors on November 8.

Dealing with a knee injury that Nick Nurse described as “not quite pain free,” Embiid has contributed to winning basketball so far in 2025, even if he's been less than consistent on the court as he deal with a recovering knee, a mid-season conditioning ramp up, and the reality that his role in the offense has changed due to the emergence fo Tyrese Maxey as an Allen Iverson-level offensive weapon. While he may not ultimately play against the Raptors, the fact that he isn't out should at least be an encouraging sign for a team that could use a fully healthy roster to really kick their playoff push into overdrive.