Philadelphia 76ers’ Paul George leaves preseason game against Atlanta with a hyperextended knee. Coach Nick Nurse and fans await updates on his status for the upcoming season.
NBA News, BollywoodFever: Paul George, the Philadelphia 76ers’ prized free-agent acquisition, left Monday’s preseason game against Atlanta after suffering a hyperextended left knee.
The injury occurred during the second quarter of the 76ers’ 104-89 victory when George’s knee buckled while on defense. The nine-time All-Star scored eight points in 12 minutes before exiting the game.
“I felt that it hyperextended, and immediately it was, all right, I need to get taken out and looked at. But if you ask me, I’m not too concerned about it,” George told The Philadelphia Inquirer.
76ers coach Nick Nurse confirmed that the 34-year-old forward will be examined on Tuesday. “You never want anything to happen to anybody,” Nurse said. “He wants to work into things, too. This doesn’t give us a chance to do that. Hopefully, it’ll be OK so he’s back with us right away.”
The 76ers have been cautious with their star players this preseason, shutting down Joel Embiid for the remainder of the preseason to manage his left knee. The team signed George to a four-year, $212 million contract this summer, hoping to pair him with the 2023 NBA MVP Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey to form a formidable trio.
George, now on his fourth NBA team after stints with Indiana, Oklahoma City, and the Los Angeles Clippers, has been a six-time All-NBA selection and has averaged 20.8 points over his 14 NBA seasons. He played 76 games last season, the first time he played more than 56 games since 2018-19.
The 76ers aren’t expecting George or Embiid to play 75 games this season, focusing instead on ensuring both stars are healthy for the postseason. Embiid has historically struggled with injuries during playoff runs, and the Sixers’ hopes for a successful season hinge on keeping both George and Embiid healthy come April.
Last week, George made an impressive debut for the Sixers, scoring 23 points on 8 of 15 shots in a preseason game against Minnesota.
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