After being issued a 25-game suspension from the NBA, Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George is back and thriving.
On Wednesday, April 1, George was a major contributor in the Sixers’ 153-131 blowout victory against the Washington Wizards.
The matchup was just George’s fourth appearance since serving his suspension. One might’ve assumed that George would need time to get settled in and shake off the rust after having such a long layover.
But his return has been the opposite. George is refreshed and feeling better than ever.
Paul George Explains The Benefits Of Time Off From Sixers
“That time off was the time I needed for my body. That’s been, really what unlocked me to kind of play free and play aggressive,” George told reporters after Wednesday’s win over the Washington Wizards, via Sixers Wire.
“I don’t want people to get it confused. I was healthy, but I needed time. I was coming back to try to hopefully, the games would’ve gotten me into shape, but the games were coming too fast, and my body wasn’t responding quickly enough as the games were going on. So, I knew. It was a hard decision. Like, do I keep playing? And I knew my body needed a little time to kinda heal without so much pounding and wear and tear. So, I knew this 25-game suspension, I was gonna use it wisely.”
George prioritized staying in the best shape possible without the opportunity to play in an actual NBA game.
Paul George Is Having A Strong Run With The Sixers
In his first game back on March 25 against the Chicago Bulls, George shot 50.0% from the field to score 28 points.
He has just one game shooting under 47.0% from the field and producing fewer than 25 points since returning. Against the Miami Heat, George struggled just like the rest of his team.
But the bounce-back effort in DC was phenomenal. In 30 minutes of action, George went 15-22 from the field. He produced 39 points. George also added six assists, five rebounds, and three steals to his stat line for the night.
In 31 games this season, George is putting up 17.5 points per game, while making 44.1% of his shots from the field. He’s also posting averages of 5.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
The Sixers will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night. They will look to maintain their playoff position after getting ahead of the Toronto Raptors.