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Paul George's Back-to-Back Plan Revealed by 76ers Coach

Is there a chance Paul George could play in his first back-to-back with the 76ers this week?
Justin Grasso|
Dec 6, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) looks on after the game against the Orlando Magic at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Dec 6, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) looks on after the game against the Orlando Magic at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

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Philadelphia 76ersCharlotte Hornets

On Friday night, the Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Charlotte Hornets for the fourth and final time this season on their home court. Shortly after the game, the team will hit the road to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night.

This season, the Sixers have typically rolled without two-thirds of their All-Star trio on the second night of a back-to-back set. Heading into the 2024-2025 NBA season, getting those nights off was a clear part of Embiid’s injury management plan.

While Paul George might not have carried that mindset with him while joining the Philadelphia 76ers over the summer, the nine-time All-Star has dealt with multiple knee injuries this season, leaving him to see limitations as the year progresses.

Could this week’s back-to-back step be a leap of progress? Sixers head coach Nick Nurse is hopeful.

“I’m going on it from today, the expectation is we’re trying to get him into both of them,” Nurse told reporters following the Sixers’ Thursday morning practice session.

“I can’t really sit here and say, ‘Well, he’s definitely not playing both.’ That’s not the mindset. He’s not in one and out the other, for sure. It could end up that way with what happens [on Friday] certainly leads into the decision for the next day. … He’s certainly moving a lot better. He’s feeling a lot better. His athleticism is a lot better. It’s all steps in the right direction.”

Lately, George and the Sixers have had plenty of rest. Since the start of December, they have played in just six games. With George putting his second minor knee injury behind him, it’s clear he’s moving much better.

When the Sixers faced the Hornets on Monday, the veteran checked in for nearly 40 minutes. He had his best outing as a Sixer, scoring 33 points on 65 percent shooting and dishing out eight assists.

Depending on how everything plays out on Friday night, the Sixers could have multiple All-Stars in both matchups of the upcoming two-game set.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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