Paul George isn’t sugarcoating anything about his early-season form - and that’s exactly what you want to hear from a veteran trying to find his footing in a new situation. After the Sixers’ win over the Wizards, George spoke candidly about where his game stands just seven games into the season.
The performance? Solid.
The honesty? Even better.
Against Washington, George looked more like himself. He shot 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, a noticeable step forward after a shaky start to the year from deep. Through his first six games, he was hitting just 35.3% from three - below his career average and a clear indicator that something was a bit off.
He knows it, too.
“It’s getting there,” George said more than once postgame. That phrase - “it’s getting there” - tells you everything.
The shot is starting to fall, but the legs? Not quite.
“I just got to get my legs under me, get a little bit stronger,” he admitted. “I just feel like my legs aren’t as strong as they need to be.”
That kind of self-assessment doesn’t come from someone panicking - it comes from someone who understands his body and his game. At 35, George knows what fatigue feels like, and he’s feeling it now.
“Kind of feeling training camp legs a little bit,” he said. “First couple of games, I was just getting my legs and everything.
But I don’t know, just a little fatigued for some reason.”
That early-season grind can hit differently when you’re adjusting to a new team and a new role. And that’s exactly what George is doing in Philadelphia, where the chemistry experiment is just getting underway.
Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George - on paper, that’s a trio with serious firepower. But on the court, they’re still learning how to move as one.
There’s no panic in Philly, though. The Sixers are watching George closely - not just for his shot, but for how his body holds up.
His injury history is well-documented, and with long-term championship aspirations, the team needs him at full strength when it matters most. That means nights like Tuesday - where the shot looks smoother, the lift a little better, and the rhythm a little closer - are encouraging signs.
The All-Star version of Paul George isn’t gone. He’s just working his way back.
And if the legs catch up to the skill, if the fatigue fades and the muscle memory takes over, the Sixers might soon have the two-way force they envisioned when they brought him to town.