Paul

George

Added to the 76ers’ injury report early Saturday afternoon due to an illness, George logged 42 minutes in Game 7. While the final stat line wasn’t elite, his two-way abilities were a factor in the Game 7 victory that should not be overlooked. Solid defensively throughout, George shot 22-of-40 from three in the series. Philadelphia will need steady production from George on both ends of the floor in their second-round series againt the Knicks, which begins on Monday.

Added to the 76ers’ injury report early Saturday afternoon, George has been given the all-clear to play in the series decider. And with the Celtics not having Jayson Tatum (knee), this sets up to be an excellent opportunity for George and the 76ers to complete their rally from a 3-1 series deficit.

George was added to the injury report Saturday afternoon with an illness. While it’s not a great sign that the 36-year-old small forward woke up sick on the day of Game 7, he’s still listed as probable. Still likely to play, George had 23 points in the 76ers’ win in Game 6 on Thursday.

George reached the 20-point mark for the first time in the opening-round series on Thursday, which played a big role in Philadelphia forcing a Game 7. His biggest contributions came from beyond the arc, where he accounted for nearly half of the 76ers’ three-point total. The veteran forward also had some fine moments on defense during his 40 minutes. He’ll have a chance to log another strong outing on Saturday in the series-deciding game.

George hasn’t had a big scoring night in this series, but he has been a consistent contributor on offense. That continued in this game, as he provided a well-rounded line in the win. George has been productive since returning from a 25-game suspension, and he has been able to impact the game on both ends of the floor, despite being past the point of his career where he needs to lead the team in scoring. The 76ers will need him to continue to play like this in Game 6 on Thursday.

Through four games, George still has not recorded a 20-point game in this series. While the 76ers had Joel Embiid back in the lineup for Game 4, they need more scoring from George to have a chance of extending the series to Game 6 on Thursday. George recorded a complete stat line in Game 4, but the career résumé strongly suggests that he is capable of doing more. Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday in Boston.

While George finished Sunday’s defeat with solid percentages, the 76ers will have little chance of competing if he’s only attempting eight shots from the field. By comparison, Kelly Oubre Jr. (10/7/2) shot 5-of-14 from the field, including 0-of-5 from beyond the arc. With Joel Embiid (appendicitis) out indefinitely, George will have to be much closer to Tyrese Maxey’s “1B” than he was on Sunday for the 76ers to have any chance of being competitive in this series.

George had one of his least impactful games of the season against the Rockets. He failed to convert any of his five three-point attempts and finished with more turnovers than made field goals on the evening. As a result, the veteran forward tied a season-low in points and scored in single digits for just the fifth time all season. The Sixers will need him to bounce back on Friday against the Pacers.

George had his least productive outing since returning from suspension. While he made four of his five three-pointers, he shot just 1-of-10 from inside the arc, resulting in an inefficient night overall. However, even with the mediocre performance on Monday, George’s recent play has been encouraging, given all the time he’s missed this season. He’ll have a chance to finish the regular season strong and potentially help the Sixers avoid the Play-In Tournament.

George played both games of the 76ers’ first back-to-back since his return from suspension, logging 28 minutes in Saturday’s defeat. His production was solid, with the veteran forward shooting 50 percent from the field and finishing a blocked shot shy of a complete stat line. Philadelphia’s Week 24 schedule includes another back-to-back, with George’s availability likely depending on potential playoff seeding implications.