Philadelphia already will be without Joel Embiid for the remainder of the preseason. Now add this concern to the pile.
Paul George left Monday night’s preseason game in Atlanta with what the team described as a hyperextended knee, he did not return.
Not gonna fully sound the alarm but Paul George is not on the bench to start the second half as the Sixers resume their preseason matchup with the Hawks
This play did not look great for PGpic.twitter.com/ioVkmRkRIP
— Sean Barnard (@Sean_Barnard1) October 15, 2024
No details were released after the game, with more tests and details on what happened likely to come on Tuesday. The question now is if any ligaments were involved and strained, or was he just taken out of the game as a precaution? Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes reports that a generic hyperextended knee has players out an average of 6-7 days, which would have George back right at the start of the season.
In Philly, where the ultimate goal is to get George and Embiid to the postseason healthy, the safe bet is that we will see neither of them for the rest of the preseason. At least.
If fully healthy, Philadephia is a legitimate threat to knock off Boston in the East playoffs, the challenge is to get Embiid and George (and Tyrese Maxey, although he is young and without the injury history) to the postseason healthy. Having Embiid out the entire preseason and now this has the 76ers a step back in terms of building team chemistry, but the NBA season is a six-month marathon and there is plenty of time to get there. Just expect Philly to be cautious along the way with resting its stars.
