The Philadelphia 76ers just can’t escape the injury bug this season. They came into Wednesday night’s action just 2-11 on the season, tied for the worst record on the Eastern Conference.
Injuries play a large part in their struggles, as the 76ers have been without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George for portions of the season. On Wednesday, the 76ers’ new big three made its debut together for the first time. However, the celebration was short-lived as George injured his ankle in the third quarter and went to the locker room.
George left with the 76ers trailing the Grizzlies, and now it will be up to Embiid, Maxey and breakout rookie Jared McCain to bring them back. If George is unable to return, it would be a major blow to the team on both ends.
The 76ers signed George away from the Los Angeles clippers this offseason in hopes that they would be getting one of the elite two-way wings in basketball. However, George has struggled with injuries all season long, and Wednesday night’s ailment is just the latest in a long line of things that have hampered his ability to be on the floor.
Even when George has been out there, he has struggled to make the kind of impact that we’re used to seeing from him. He’s a half-step slow on the defensive end of the floor and hasn’t found his scoring touch offensively yet.
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In seven games entering Wednesday, George was averaging just 16.7 points per game. He is shooting less than 40% from the field and just 28.8% from. 3-point range, which is far below his usual standard. Those percentages would surely rise as George continues to get his legs underneath him, but now he has another injury to contend with.
The 76ers just got Embiid back, and they need both to be at the peak of their powers alongside Maxey and McCain in an Eastern Conference that has the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers and the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics. If they’re anything less than that, the 76ers can kiss their championship dreams goodbye this season.
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