Philadelphia already will be without Joel Embiid for the rest 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 to sound the alarm bell, but Paul George is not on the bench to start the second half as the Sixers resume their preseason contest 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 of what happened likely to come on Tuesday. The question now is whether 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 healthy heading into the postseason, the safe bet is that we won’t see either of them for the rest of the preseason. At least.
If fully healthy, Philadephia is a legitimate threat to take down Boston in the Eastern playoffs, the challenge is to get Embiid and George (and Tyrese Maxey, even though he’s young and without the injury history) to the postseason healthy. Having Embiid out the entire preseason and now this has the 76ers taking 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 careful on the road resting their stars.
