The Sixers must do a better job of getting Paul George involved, regardless of who’s on the floor

Joel Embiid's latest injury, a sinus fracture, should lead to George's usage improving. But what about when the 2023 MVP returns?

Paul George was key to the Sixers winning three of four games without Embiid recently. But the team still needs to figure out how to best use him when all three of its stars are on the court.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

by Keith Pompey

Published Dec. 15, 2024, 5:00 a.m. ET

What happened to Paul George?

The nine-time All-Star’s presence was the reason for the 76ers’ recent turnaround. Yet, once Joel Embiid returned, George’s play has had a major drop-off. He went from being the guy who enabled them to win three of four games without Embiid to just being a guy next to Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

With Embiid dealing with a sinus fracture and Jared McCain out with a knee injury, George’s usage should improve against the Hornets on Monday night at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center. But the team must find a way to get the $211.5 million man involved when playing alongside the other two All-Stars.

“I think just moving a little more, just finding my way of moving,” George said of what he can change to get more involved. “Running the floor a little bit better.

“I think we got to allow each other to create space. So I have to cut to the nail sometimes to allow Tyrese to play in the open court, then I got to do it. But I think for sure, just more clarity for myself.”

George will recognize the coverages when opponents send additional players to double-team Embiid. So he said he has to find a way to attack and play with a better advantage.

But the 6-foot-8, 220-pounder averaged 13.5 points on 11-for-25 shooting — including 2-for-10 on three-pointers — along with 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.5 blocks in the two games since Embiid returned from left knee management.

George basically was an offensive bystander before Embiid suffered the game-ending fracture 12 seconds before halftime in Friday’s 121-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers at the Wells Fargo Center. He had three points on 1-for-3 shooting through two quarters.

Things were slightly better in the third quarter, when he matched those first-half stats. But his involvement in the fourth quarter, when he scored nine of his 15 points on 3-for-6 shooting, helped the Sixers’ comeback attempt.

Nick Nurse acknowledged that George didn’t get enough looks in the first half.

“But we weren’t very good in the first half,” the coach said. “Some of the up-court pressure took us out of better execution, right? We really got to look at that and get better. It’s just full-court man-to-man, pick-up pressure. It’s not like it’s a trapping thing.

“It’s just you still got to be able to ball down the first and get into our stuff and execute stuff.”

Maxey committed five of the Sixers’ 12 first-half turnovers. He added one more after intermission, and the team finished with 15.

But the Sixers had success utilizing George as a point forward in his first three games back from a left knee bone bruise.

While he made just 4 of 12 shots, the 34-year-old had 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and one steal to lead the Sixers to a 111-96 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 30 at Little Caesars Arena.

“That’s one of my favorite things — when a guy goes 4-for-12 and has a great game,” Nurse said. “He had a great game, and it had nothing to do with how he shot the ball. He had a great tempo, got into the lane, got our offense moving. Get it to him on the second side, he was able to make the next play to whoever.

“I thought his composure. … It just felt like a veteran-type player out there that was in great rhythm of our offense and helping our offense keep its rhythm.”

George followed that by matching his season high with 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting — including making 6 of 9 three-pointers — along with eight assists, two steals, and a block in the Sixers’ 110-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Dec. 3 at the Spectrum Center.

After missing the next night’s loss because of load management, George had 21 points and nine assists to lead the Sixers to a 102-94 home win over the Orlando Magic on Dec. 6.

But it was like the Sixers forgot how much success they had with him as a point forward once Embiid returned to the lineup.

To their credit, the Sixers did have a lot of success with Embiid and Maxey’s two-man game in a 108-100 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 8 at the United Center. But the team worked on packages to get George more involved while playing with Embiid and Maxey in the days leading up to Friday’s contest.

The Sixers (7-16) know his involvement will provide them the best opportunity to help turn around what has been a disappointing season.

But they didn’t get him involved until after Embiid was done for the game.