Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George will be out at least six weeks after receiving injections in his left adductor muscle and left knee, the team announced Monday.
George’s campaign is effectively over with just four weeks remaining in the regular season.
George, 34, signed with the 76ers last offseason and was expected to make a big impact for a team that had underperformed in recent years. However, George has battled through injuries all season long, including reportedly taking painkillers for five straight games leading up to the All-Star break in February.
George finishes the 2024-25 season having played his fewest games since 2021-22. He has played less than 60 games five times in the last six seasons.
Could Paul George return for the playoffs?
Yes, technically. George is expected to miss six weeks, which will keep him out for the rest of the regular season, but could see him return to the court if the Sixers make the play-in tournament and then go on a run.
As it stands, though, Philadelphia is five games out of the final play-in spot, currently held by the Chicago Bulls. Even if the Sixers reach the play-in tournament and win, the first round of the postseason begins on April 19. At the absolute earliest, George could be back around April 28, meaning he’d likely miss the first few games of any first-round matchup.
Paul George stats:
PPG: 16.2
RPG: 5.3
APG: 4.3
FG%: 43.0%
3PT%: 35.8%
STL: 1.8