Sixers Notes: George, Offense, Embiid

Paul George wasn’t pleased with how he performed on Monday in his Sixers debut. The star forward committed six turnovers and made just 4-of-14 shots from the field (including 1-of-7 three-pointers) in the loss to the Suns.

After the game, George referred to his outing as “bad” and admitted he was “gassed” at times during his 32 minutes, but said he was encouraged by how his knee felt following his recovery from a bone bruise, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“I was able to go out there and compete free of any thoughts of my body not holding up,” George said. “I felt completely fine. That was the positive in it. But all around, it was definitely a rusty game.”

While George is still on the Sixers’ injury report, he’s listed as probable to play on Wednesday and there has been no indication he won’t suit up. The game against the Clippers in Los Angeles will represent a reunion for George and his old team — he left L.A. over the summer after spending five seasons with the Clips.

Here’s more on the Sixers:

• Although George wasn’t at his best and the Sixers fell to 1-5 with Monday’s loss to Phoenix, the star forward’s debut provided some much-needed hope for Philadelphia, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who notes that the offense looked better with George on the floor than it had for most of the season. “He takes a lot of the pressure off all of us,” guard Tyrese Maxey told Jones. “With him on the floor, you can see it. We’re a lot more balanced. I didn’t have to do as much, so I was a lot more fresh. It just helps all of us, having him back.”
• League sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic that Joel Embiid‘s left knee “wasn’t a concern, or even a topic of discussion” among Team USA brass during the Olympics, though team sources say they were managing and monitoring the knee on their end. Within his story on Embiid’s status, Amick also suggests the big man wants to avoid a repeat of last season, when he attempted to play through a minor left knee ailment and suffered a more serious injury to that knee when Jonathan Kuminga fell on it during a January 30 game. That’s one reason why he and the team are taking a cautious approach this fall.
• Both Amick and Howard Beck of The Ringer write that the 76ers’ lack of transparency regarding Embiid’s knee injury in recent weeks is a result of an attempt to honor the former MVP’s desire to keep his health issues as private as possible. “He doesn’t want his injuries discussed or explained, by anyone,” Beck writes, arguing that being more forthcoming about his condition would help improve Embiid’s public image. “Every Sixers administration has bowed to those wishes, repeatedly obfuscating on his behalf.”
• In case you missed it, Embiid will begin serving his three-game suspension for shoving Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes on Wednesday and is on track to make his season debut next Tuesday vs. the Knicks.