Tuesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics square off in a battle between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. For Paul George, it’s his first game back in the City of Brotherly Love since the trade that sent him to their regional rival.
At shootaround at the Xfinity Mobile Arena before Tuesday’s tilt, the nine-time All-Star discussed the reaction he’s expecting from the always hospitable Philly faithful.
“In some ways, I helped land them a future piece,” said George, per CLNS Media. “So, with that, I’m not sure what the reception will be.”
That’s a crucial piece of context to keep in mind for Sixers fans in the building for this matchup. This wasn’t just the trade that netted the franchise Jaylen Brown. It was the domino that had to fall for them to land LeBron James.
While George didn’t facilitate either transaction, he is the player who made it possible for Philadelphia to evolve into a title contender. At 9-2, his former team is atop the Eastern Conference standings and tied with the San Antonio Spurs for the second-best record in the league.
Paul George’s Injury Luck is Changing with the Celtics
As the six-time All-NBA selection also pointed out, he struggled to stay healthy in his two-year tenure with the 76ers. That included dealing with a hyperextended knee, an injury that he just couldn’t shake.
After scoring 27 points, tied with Kyle Kuzma for the most in Boston’s 117-97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, George alluded to his lack of luck on the health front as he looked ahead to his return to Philadelphia.
“It’ll be fun,” he told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin. “Great relationships there. It’ll be great to see those guys and compete against them,” he continued. “Philly was a special place for me. Obviously, it was a tough tenure, my two years there, but it’ll be special to be in the building.”
Paul George is a seamless fit with the Celtics
Now, the veteran wing is as healthy as he has felt in years. Between that and being tailor-made for Boston’s cerebral system, he’s thriving with his new team.
The 36-year-old from Palmdale, California, is averaging 20.4 points. He’s taking 8.1 threes per game and knocking them down at a 42.5 percent clip. That includes launching 5.6 catch-and-shoot 3s per contest. He has a 46 percent conversion rate on those.
George is also grabbing 5.2 rebounds and dishing out 4.1 assists per matchup. He’s a perfect complement to Jayson Tatum, and he’s leading lineups that have a +24.7 net rating without Boston’s best player on the floor, per Databallr.
He’s playing at an All-Star level. His two-way impact includes swiping 2.3 steals per game. That’s tied with Scottie Barnes for the third-most in the league. He’s disrupting passing lanes, producing deflections, and elevating a team that is forcing more turnovers and scoring more transition points than in years past.
The trade that sent him there was a controversial blockbuster when it happened. However, it is working out extremely well for both sides. Sixers fans may have felt frustrated by George’s injuries when he was in Philadelphia. He shared that sentiment.
But he’s happy to be in Boston, and the 76ers have a reconfigured core that puts them on the short list of title contenders. That’s worth remembering when George takes the floor on Tuesday.
Paul George Points Out 2 Critical Truths about His Sixers Tenure Before Philly Return