The Philadelphia 76ers are set to welcome Paul George back to the lineup from this 25-game suspension this week as they continue to battle for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference standings.
Paul George spoke to the media for the first time following his suspension, and the 76ers’ star did not get into the specifics of what triggered the suspension, as per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. But he did reveal that he was dealing with a knee issue that almost made the suspension a blessing in disguise.
George is set to return to the 76ers’ lineup as they host the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. They are currently 39-33 and looking to get back in the win column after dropping their last game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 76ers are presently in play-in positioning, but they are only one game back of the Atlanta Hawks for the No. 6 seed and making the playoffs outright.
Prior to the suspension, George had appeared in 27 games for the 76ers, at a little over 30 minutes per game. He was averaging 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals with splits of 42.4 percent shooting from the field, 38.2 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 85.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
This is George’s second full season with the 76ers after signing as a free agent during the 2024 offseason. He appeared in only 41 games last year in his Philadelphia debut due to his season being cut short amid both a knee and an adductor injury. Having him back in the lineup will be a big help as the 76ers are dealing with multiple injury issues.
