The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a hot start, one that burns brighter and hotter than anyone outside Philly predicted. It could all come crashing down if Paul George returns from injury this month.
The question for the 76ers at the start of the season was whether the franchise should focus on their veterans and try to make another run with Joel Embiid and Paul George, hoping their veteran stars could stay healthy enough when it mattered — or whether they should focus solely on their new young core and throw this season’s record into the Delaware River.
Yet somehow, the 76ers have managed to have their cake and eat it too. They’re 5-1, in first place in the Eastern Conference and have the league’s No. 2 offensive ranking, and they’ve done that with Joel Embiid a shell of his former self and Paul George not playing a single minute. Instead, their young core has taken a big step forward.
Tyrese Maxey has been one of the best players in the entire league so far, averaging 33.7 points and nine assists per game. He leads the NBA in minutes played per game, field goal attempts and three-pointers made, and he’s shooting 46.4 percent from deep on a whopping 9.3 attempts per game.
Right next to him are the other members of this breakout backcourt for the Sixers. Quentin Grimes, who took advantage of his qualifying offer because the team did not want to offer him a significant new contract, is scoring 19.2 points per game and shooting 45.2 percent from deep. Rookie VJ Edgecombe was a revelation in his first two weeks of NBA action, scoring 20.3 points per game, hitting 42.1 percent from deep and adding five rebounds, five assists and 1.5 steals per game.
The 76ers have five different players averaging at least 17 points per game this season when you add in Joel Embiid (fifth on the team with 17.3 points per game) and Kelly Oubre, who played his way to 19.5 points and 6.3 rebounds. The four-man lineup van Oubre, Maxey, Edgecombe and Grimes have played 62 minutes together this season and are outscoring opponents by 46.9 points per 100 possessions.
It’s unrealistic to expect this group to run the lights out all season, and at some point opponents will take advantage of their lack of size by playing three guards together. They’re somewhat fortunate in that they’re 5-1 and need some come-from-behind wins to keep their record afloat (although, to be fair, they have the league’s sixth-best net rating). Still, those are some minor problems. Their biggest problem?
Paul George returns.
Paul George could ruin everything
Paul George has a lot of influence as a former All-NBA player and MVP finalist. He signed a maximum four-year contract to join the team on a free agent in 2024. His return should only make the 76ers stronger, especially considering the relative lack of depth in the frontcourt. Still, Sixers fans may fear his return.
George was terrible last season; there’s no reason to sugarcoat it. He was injured for much of the year, but even when he played (admittedly, often while injured), he was terrible. He averaged 16.2 points per game on 13.9 shots, both functional career lows. He hit just 35.8 percent from deep, got to the line just 2.4 times per game, and his offensive impact was below average compared to the entire league. That is hardly production at maximum level.
George is 35 years old, has had numerous injuries and has had a terrible year. There is no indication that his return to this team, which relies on youth, speed and energy, will result in an even higher level of play. On the contrary, George demanding touches and shots will drag down the attack’s efficiency, and his more methodical approach to defense will erode their average level of play in that area.
There’s a world where George comes in, plays a modest role and tries to be a 3-and-D forward to replace Justin Edwards and Trendon Watford and Jabari Walker. Still, those players give it their all, and George may not be able to do that as he returns from injury. If he can’t do that, he generally becomes a problem, even if on paper he is a better player than the players he replaces.
The 76ers have found something special. Maybe it will last, maybe it won’t. But Paul George’s return is no cause for celebration, at least not in the short term; it is a cause for concern. The end of this magical run may be in sight.
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