ATLANTA — It came in a 120-117 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, but Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George looked like his healthy self as he continues to push forward.

George had 35 points on 11-for-21 shooting, 7-for-9 from deep, and had four rebounds in 32 minutes. Game by game, George is beginning to look like himself again, and Sunday was a big step forward for him. He was getting downhill, getting past defenders, and finishing at the basket. Those are the plays the Sixers were missing in the 2024-25 season.

“I think the biggest thing for me is, obviously, the 35’s great and the seven 3s is amazing, all that stuff, but to me, I think I like the way he’s getting by people,” coach Nick Nurse said. “He’s getting by people, downhill in the paint, he’s holding off post-ups, he’s getting to spots, he’s getting clearance on a lot of things. That’s probably the most encouraging.”

As Nurse said, the 3-pointers are great. Those are hugely important for the Sixers going forward, but the biggest thing for this group is George’s ability to get into the paint and make things happen. All the noise that he could be “washed” needs to quiet down. At least for now.

“That’s the PG we all know and love out there,” added Quentin Grimes. “Go out there and just play the game. He’s one of the best players in the league for a reason. So just go out there seeing him getting back to full rhythm is great to see for us, for sure.”

Of course, it helps to be healthy. While George is not 100% just yet, he is healthy enough to be able to put up big numbers offensively. If there is anybody on this team who understands the importance of health, it’s teammate Joel Embiid.

“He’s healthy,” Embiid added of George. “When everything feels good, you feel good about yourself. The game comes easier. The game kinda comes the way you want it to look like.”

All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, who had to miss the game due to an illness, was watching from home and he reacted to George’s big game as well.

The Sixers will now have four days off before heading up to The Big Apple to take on the New York Knicks on Friday.