Paul George walked into Xfinity Mobile Arena and looked like a man ready to settle a score. By the time the night was over, he had done exactly that, torching the Philadelphia 76ers as the Boston Celtics rolled to a 123-101 win and took over the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
It was the kind of game that felt bigger than a November box score, even if nobody in either locker room is eager to admit it this early. The Sixers had just faced another East contender for the second time in three games, and this one got away from them fast. Boston controlled the matchup, and George - the player Philadelphia traded back in July - was the biggest reason why.
George did not look like a man carrying extra baggage. He looked loose, confident, and fully in rhythm.
In 30 minutes, he took a team-high 22 shots, including 11 from beyond the arc, and finished with a game-high 36 points. He added five rebounds, one assist, and only one turnover, giving Boston the kind of performance that makes a trade look painfully one-sided in real time.
The broader question around George’s time in Philadelphia has lingered since the move. He simply did not meet his standard with the 76ers, and he pointed to health as the reason. Whatever the explanation, he has clearly found another gear in Boston, where he has been back on an All-Star pace and giving the Celtics the player Philadelphia thought it was getting.
Jaylen Brown, meanwhile, never quite found his footing in the game. He came in with plenty of energy, but foul trouble quickly clipped his night, and he spent long stretches on the sideline.
In 25 minutes, Brown went 4-for-9 from the floor and missed three of his four attempts from three-point range. He did make four free throws on his way to 13 points, and he also finished with five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.
His plus-minus told the story as much as anything else: Brown ended at -27, the worst mark on the Sixers by a wide margin.
There is still time for Brown to answer in the series, with three more games left against his former team. For now, though, the Celtics have the edge and the louder talking point. Boston has the bragging rights, and the trade looks every bit as tilted as it did in the first meeting.
In Other News...
Sixers Trade Debate Is Only Getting More Complicated
The Paul George-for-Jaylen Brown swap has only gotten more interesting for Philadelphia as both sides settle into the deal. Brown has quickly become a steady fit for Nick Nurse, giving the 76ers the kind of two-way presence they wanted while posting solid numbers and buying into a role that has meshed with the rest of the roster. For a team still sorting out its long-term identity, that kind of stability matters.
George, meanwhile, has looked right at home in Bostons system. His three-point shooting has ticked up, and he has become an important piece next to Jayson Tatum under Joe Mazzulla, which only adds another layer to the debate around what Philadelphia gave up and what it gained. The trade looked bold when it happened, but now it is starting to feel like one of those moves that will be judged differently depending on which side of the rivalry you ask. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Fans Have Seen This Doc Rivers Pattern Before
Doc Rivers has a way of turning a routine basketball discussion into something bigger, and his latest comments about Giannis Antetokounmpo did exactly that. After Rivers spoke publicly about Giannis trade situation and basketball IQ, Giannis answered by saying he was speechless and pointed people back to Rivers for clarification on what he meant. For Sixers fans, it was a familiar kind of moment from a coach whose words have often carried as much weight as his game plans.
Philadelphia supporters have seen this movie before. Rivers time with the 76ers was marked by public criticism of Ben Simmons and reported clashes with James Harden, the sort of friction that left plenty of lingering questions even after the season moved on. So when Rivers inserts himself into another star storyline, it is hard not to view it through the same lens, with the focus shifting from the player in question to the trail of tension Rivers tends to leave behind. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Georges Return Reopens A Sixers Breakup Fans Havent Forgotten
Paul Georges first trip back to Philadelphia came with the kind of extra attention that usually follows a player who left a mark, even if the ending was messy. Now wearing a Celtics uniform, George talked about his time with the Sixers, the way he has settled into Boston, and what he expected from a fan base that has not exactly forgotten how things went when he was here.
Through nine games with Boston, George has been productive enough to remind everyone why his move mattered in the first place, giving the Celtics scoring, playmaking and activity on both ends. For Sixers fans, the return was always going to stir up more than a routine regular-season matchup, because it reopened a breakup that still lingers in the background every time he steps onto the floor in Philadelphia. [Read more 🡒]