Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George will make his season debut on Monday night against his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
George had offseason knee surgery, which has forced him to miss the first 12 games of the season. He played in just 41 games last season due to injury, which was George’s first in Philly. Now in his 16th campaign, George is expected to play his first game of the season against the franchise with which he spent five years.
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During his career, George has had a history of injuries, causing him to miss significant time on the court. In the previous six seasons, George has played more than 56 games just one time — his last year with the Clippers. Whether it was load management or injury, George has not been the most reliable player over the past several years.
Philadelphia brought George in during the 2024 offseason, and he was supposed to be the second mate of Joel Embiid to help get the team over the hump in the postseason. The 76ers have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs since Embiid entered the NBA. George signed a four-year, $212 million contract in July of 2024.
Things didn’t go as planned in Year 1, with George playing only half the season and Embiid also missing 63 games (knee). Once both players are back on the court alongside guard Tyrese All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, the expectation for Philly is to contend in the Eastern Conference. Philly is 7-5 without George this season and are 4-2 in the six games Embiid has been available for thus far.
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Last season, George averaged 20.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his 41 appearances, while shooting over 38% from 3-point range. The Sixers and Clippers play Monday at 7 p.m. ET at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.