After missing the Philadelphia 76ers’ season opener on Wednesday, Paul George will also be out during the team’s two-game road trip that begins Friday.
The Sixers say George is “progressing well in his recovery” and an update on his status will be given early next week. according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
76ers: Paul George continues to progress well in his recovery from a bone bruise in his left knee and will not play during the team’s two-game road trip. The team will provide an update on its availability early next week. pic.twitter.com/Tgq5q93sG3
– Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 24, 2024
Philadelphia faces the Toronto Raptors on Friday, followed by a matinee matchup with the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. The team will then have two days off before hosting the Detroit Pistons next Wednesday. The Sixers lost the first game of the season to the Milwaukee Bucks, 124-109.
George suffered a bone bruise in his hyperextended left knee on October 14 during a preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks and has been sidelined since.
George, a 14-year NBA veteran, signed a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with the Sixers in July after playing the past five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers. Last season, he averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 47.1% from the floor and a career-high 41.3% on 3-pointers. ).
The Sixers will also not have Joel Embiid in their lineup for the next two games as he recovers from a left knee injury. Embiid did not play in Philadelphia’s season opener. He will be re-evaluated this weekend.
However, both players “appeared to be making progress” in Thursday’s practice, according to head coach Nick Nurse.
“They were both in most of the action. I think they’re getting better and moving forward,” Nurse told reporters. via the Philadelphia Inquirer. “They were in all the initial basic stuff and some kind of live drills. Also in the middle of the court for a while.”
Neither George nor Embiid participated in the five-on-five practice, which the team prefers they do before being cleared to play.
