Ever since Paul George signed the dotted line of his four-year/$212 million contract two summers ago, Philadelphia 76ers fans have grown impatient. With every poor shooting performance George turned in, their frustration increased – begging him to step into the third-star role he was meant to fulfill. On Tuesday night, however, fans finally got their wish.
George saw red and recorded a game-high 32 points as well as nine made three-pointers in the 76ers’ (25-21) 139-122 win against the Milwaukee Bucks (18-27) at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Tuesday. His contributions came at the most crucial times – highlighting how dangerous Philadelphia can be when George is firing at cylinders.
The 76ers entered their matchup against Milwaukee desperate to eradicate the stench of their 37-point loss to the Charlotte Hornets 24 hours prior. Philadelphia was deprived of Joel Embiid and George (left knee injury management) on Monday, but both returned this evening. Although the 76ers were on the second leg of a back-to-back, George’s fresh legs negated that disadvantage.
The nine-time All-Star torched Milwaukee’s point-of-attack defense from three-point range, burying pull-up shots and using off-ball screens to settle into open spot-up triples. He also did damage in the mid-range and created advantages for others using his gravity, with five assists to show for it. What’s more, George tied Philadelphia’s franchise record for most made threes in a single game.
His offensive rampage made up for his struggles in the 76ers’ 112-109 loss to the New York Knicks on Saturday. He registered only nine points on 10 field-goal attempts, offering little relief when New York stalled Tyrese Maxey and Embiid’s scoring efforts. The third quarter of tonight’s affair made that mishap a distant memory, however.
Despite missing Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique), the Bucks had their way with Philadelphia’s defense. Milwaukee entered the second half down nine but trimmed its deficit to as little as one. That’s when George single-handedly saved the 76ers from yet another embarrassing defeat.
His approach was simple: shoot and that he did, scoring 16 third-quarter points to help build Philadelphia a 11-point edge heading into the last 12 minutes. George’s shot creation was on full display, including a vicious crossover move against Kyle Kuzma that he capitalized on with a pull-up triple. His burst was the swing factor in Philadelphia surpassing its win total from last season.
Shooting variance was undoubtedly on George’s side tonight as such elite efficiency cannot be expected every night. The 76ers, however, offered him an effective blend of scoring opportunities with and without the ball that will continue to add more variety to their offense. Philadelphia’s offense looks elite when the 35-year-old is on point, which only amplifies the fandom’s desire for him to sustain this momentum.