With the Philadelphia 76ers playing relatively well under their current setup, many were wondering about how Paul George will fit into the picture once he returns from his longtime absence. And just two games back, the team seems to have already figured out how to take advantage of his skill set in the best way possible.
After a rough shooting night in his debut, albeit with good outputs everywhere else, George stood out in his second game back facing the Bucks, finishing the night with 21 points, five rebounds, three assists, and a couple of steals while draining seven of his 12 shots, including four of his seven attempts from beyond the arc. He did all of those in just 25 minutes, which appears to be his current minutes cap.
George definitely reassured many with his impressive play since coming back to the hardwood, but the 76ers likewise eased the worries of many with the way they have utilized him so far. While the sample size is small, the coaching staff is already altering his role to being a play finisher for the most part, which is clearly the ideal design to make the most of the veteran forward’s talents.
The 76ers seem to have unlocked a new dimension in their offense with Paul George
The nine-time All-Star is still one of the best three-level scorers in this league, but the 76ers seem to be making the realization that scoring does not necessarily mean having to do the creating, and both George and the team are much better for it.
Last season, George immensely struggled with his shot due to hiss vague role on offense. After a string of injuries, he was constantly trying to balance between finding his voice in the scoring attack while trying to feel out his teammates, and the results were expectedly far from alluring.
This time around, the 76ers are letting George find his spots without the ball in his hands, which has always been one of his best strengths. That was on full display just two seasons ago, when he turned in a slew of career-highs shooting the ball in his final campaign with the LA Clippers. With more on-court reps, there is a good chance that George returns to that level of all-around efficiency.
While this could be perceived as George being pigeonholed into a more passive role, given his advanced age, it is no longer tenable to resort to him as a primary creator. Given his shooting and court sense, making him a high-volume spot-up threat who can be a good connective passer and part-time shot generator is the best way to use him while also preserving his body for the long run. To be frank, the 76ers should have already foreseen this.
For better or for worse, Paul George is here to stay. Luckily, the 76ers appear to have already figured out how to make his stay a lot more reassuring.