Paul George provides significant update on preseason knee injury
Philadelphia 76ers fans may have feared the worst when Paul George, who has a significant injury history, suffered a hyperextended left knee in the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.
However, to the relief of Sixers fans, George confirmed that the injury was nothing major and should not require extended time off.
“It was a normal play that I’ve made so many times of a guy dribbling across,” George said on his podcast on Saturday. “I reach, poke the ball free, and I guess my leg just kind of got stuck. My knee locked up. And when I went to go push off, like all my momentum is going forward, and my leg just it just caused it to go inwards.”
George reiterated that he would return to the court stronger than ever.
“I’ll be back strong and better than ever," George said. “It was nothing major or no concern. I didn’t damage a ligament. I didn’t damage a tendon. It was literally just bone-on-bone bruising from a hyperextension. I’m going to be good. I should be back hopefully sooner than later, but it won’t be a long timetable.”
In his absence, the Sixers split their final two preseason games, going 1-1. Guerschon Yabusele took up most of George’s minutes and was a welcome different dimension to the lineup. The Sixers will open the regular season against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.
Paul George and Joel Embiid won’t play back-to-backs this season
Paul George’s fitness is vital to the Sixers' hopes of winning the franchise’s fourth championship after more than 40 years. He is one of the cornerstones in their title aspirations.
In an interview with ESPN, Sixers' president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, outlined the team's plan to maintain Embiid and George's health to make a strong playoff push.
“We’re going to be smart about it,” Morey said. “Part of being smart about it is having both Paul and Joel probably not play many back-to-backs, if any.”
In recent years, roster depth has often been a key issue for the Philadelphia team and has, at times, held the team back at crucial moments. This season, however, the Sixers appear to have a strong core of players capable of making a deep playoff run.
However, with 15 back-to-back games this season, Embiid and George could miss up to eight games, limiting them to a maximum of 67 games. To be eligible for major awards, they must play in 65 games, but fans should not expect that to happen since the priority for both players and the team is winning a championship at the end of the day.
George will want to avenge the recurring playoff pain, do one better this time around, and win Philly the first NBA title they have been so close to over the years.