Ever since Paul George signed the dotted line on his four-year, $212 million contract two summers ago, Philadelphia 76ers fans have grown impatient. With each poor shooting performance George put in, their frustration increased – they begged him to step into the third-star role he was meant to fill. However, on Tuesday night, fans finally got their wish.
George saw red and recorded a game-high 32 points as well as nine made 3-pointers in the 76ers (25-21) 139-122 win against the Milwaukee Bucks (18-27) at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Tuesday. His contributions came at the most crucial moments – highlighting just how dangerous Philadelphia can be when George is firing on cylinders.
The 76ers went into their game against Milwaukee desperate to eradicate the stench of their 37-point loss to the Charlotte Hornets 24 hours earlier. Philadelphia was deprived of Joel Embiid and George (left knee injury management) on Monday, but both returned tonight. Although the 76ers were in the second leg of a back-to-back, George’s fresh legs negated that disadvantage.
The nine-time All-Star torched Milwaukee’s rushing defense from three-point range, burying pull-up shots and using off-ball screens to slot into open spot-up triples. He also did damage in the mid-range and created advantages for others using his gravity, with five assists to show for it. Additionally, George tied Philadelphia’s franchise record for most made threes in a single game.
His offensive frenzy offset his struggles in the 76ers’ 112-109 loss to the New York Knicks on Saturday. He recorded just nine points on 10 field goal attempts, which provided little relief as New York halted the scoring attempts of Tyrese Maxey and Embiid. However, the third quarter of tonight’s affair made that misfortune a distant memory.
Despite missing Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique), the Bucks had their way with Philadelphia’s defense. Milwaukee entered the second half trailing by nine, but cut the deficit to just one. In that moment, George single-handedly saved the 76ers from yet another embarrassing loss.
His approach was simple: shoot and he did. He scored sixteen points in the third quarter and helped Philadelphia build an eleven-point lead in the final twelve minutes. George’s shot creation was on full display, including a vicious crossover move against Kyle Kuzma, which he capitalized on with a pull-up triple. His outburst was the swing factor in Philadelphia, surpassing last season’s win total.
The shooting variety was undoubtedly on George’s side tonight, as such elite efficiency cannot be expected every night. However, the 76ers offered him an effective mix of scoring opportunities with and without the ball, which will add more variety to their offense. Philadelphia’s offense looks elite when the 35-year-old is on point, which only adds to the fandom’s desire for him to keep this momentum going.
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