Paul George Looks Rejuvenated as Sixers Navigate Injury Challenges
CAMDEN, N.J. - The Philadelphia 76ers haven’t exactly had a smooth ride this season, but they’ve managed to keep the ship steady - even with key players like Joel Embiid and Paul George working their way back from left knee injuries. The lineup has been fluid, the rotations experimental, but the Sixers are still finding ways to play competitive, winning basketball.
And one of the biggest reasons? Paul George is starting to look like Paul George again.
The 9-time All-Star has been heating up, and Sunday’s performance against the Atlanta Hawks was a clear reminder of what he can bring to the table. George dropped 35 points and buried seven of his nine three-point attempts - a vintage display of shot-making and rhythm that Sixers fans have been waiting to see. On the year, he’s shooting a blistering 43.3% from beyond the arc, and it’s not just the numbers that stand out - it’s the demeanor.
George looks lighter. Freer. Happier.
That’s something rookie VJ Edgecombe has noticed up close in his first season in the league.
“He looks really good, man,” Edgecombe said. “He’s very helpful to us.
You can tell he’s in a good head space, which is very important - being there mentally. We’re all human beings.
We’ve got different expectations and pressures on us, so to see him in a good mental headspace, man, it means a lot.”
That mental clarity matters. George himself admitted after the loss to Atlanta that he feels significantly better this season, especially when reflecting on what he called a tough 2024-25 campaign. It’s easy to get caught up in the stats and shooting splits, but the mental aspect - the confidence, the joy - is often the difference between a good player and a great one.
Edgecombe, who’s getting his first real taste of NBA life, has been soaking it all in - even if he’s not letting George off the hook entirely.
“I tell him he ain’t jumping yet,” Edgecombe joked. “He can’t jump no more.
I tell him all the time - he ain’t the same athletic Paul George. I ain’t seen him dunk yet.”
That kind of locker room banter is a good sign. It means George is not just producing on the court - he’s connecting with his teammates, mentoring the younger guys, and bringing a veteran presence that this Sixers team needs as they navigate a season full of moving parts.
Justin Edwards, another young forward on the roster, echoed the sentiment - though with a bit more reverence.
“I kind of expected it, honestly,” Edwards said. “Just watching from what he did last year and this year, and that’s the P - I was saying this to somebody on the bench - that’s the P that I grew up watching. That’s something that I expect.”
For Edwards, George’s resurgence isn’t a surprise - it’s a return to form. And when a player with George’s pedigree starts to regain his rhythm, it can shift the ceiling of an entire team.
The Sixers will get another test on Friday when they head to Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks. With Embiid continuing to ramp up and George finding his groove, Philadelphia might just be rounding into shape at the right time.
And if George keeps playing like this - calm, confident, and connected - the Sixers could be a much tougher out than anyone expected.