Despite looking like they were headed toward dangerous waters just a few weeks ago, the Philadelphia 76ers are now currently in sixth place in the East. This team appears to be on the upward trend as they inch closer to the playoffs, and one huge factor why is the resurgence of Paul George after returning from a league suspension that forced him to miss 25 games.
Since coming back, George has been flat-out impressive. In four games after returning, he has averaged 28 points, seven rebounds, 3.5 assists, and three steals per outing while shooting 51.9 percent shooting from the field and 42.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc in just 32 minutes a night.
Those are basically the numbers George turned in during his 2018-19 campaign with the Thunder when he finished the season third on the MVP voting. That was his best season to date from a two-way viewpoint, and he has basically replicated — if not exceeded — that degree of play during thi recent stretch.
The 76ers have unleashed a more aggressive version of Paul George
Now, the best part about this is this stretch is not a fluke. George is simply becoming much more aggressive than he was at the start of the season. Now, instead of taking a backseat to accommodate his co-stars, he is functioning as the catalyst himself, and the numbers clearly show that he fares better when he is being proactive.
The nine-time All-Star has taken at least 18 field goal attempts in each of his last four contests. Before that, he has taken 18 shots at the minimum on only three occasions this season. It is crystal clear that he is making a more deliberate effort to assert himself on the scoring end, and the 76ers are much better for it.
That renewed aggression on the veteran’s part will be critical for Philly come playoff time. Defenses will undoubtedly double down on Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, so it is incumbent upon George to punish opponents for puring extra attention on those two. After all, he has the most extensive playoff experience among anyone in the rotation.
Slowly but surely, Paul George is showing why everyone profiled him as the most dangerous third option in the league when he signed with the 76ers in 2024. Hopefully, this more assertive version of his subsists in the playoffs, where his all-around production will be needed even more.