The 76ers have sidelined Paul George due to a right ankle sprain against the Orlando Magic at 8 p.m. EST. Philadelphia originally listed George as probable before ruling him out shortly after its morning shoot-around. The forward will miss 14 of the 76ers’ first 17 games of the 2025-26 season.
His newfound ankle injury seemingly manifested during or after the 76ers’ 127-117 loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday.
Nick Nurse told the media this evening that George revealed to the team today that he was dealing with ankle soreness, which caused his status to plunge from probable to out. The head coach is unsure whether George’s absence will extend following Philadelphia’s game against Orlando.
It’s been a bumpy ride for George
George has operated on a minutes restriction that allowed him 22 minutes per contest in three appearances this year. He is readjusting to in-game intensity after missing Philadelphia’s first 12 games of the season because of left knee surgery recovery. George underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee on July 12th after suffering an injury during a workout.
The forward has played just three games this season after debuting in Philadelphia’s 110-108 win against the Los Angeles Clippers on November 17th. George is averaging 13.3 points per game on 38.7% shooting from the field, 4.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists this year.
He is yet to establish rhythm playing in limited spurts, however.
George’s self-creation, perimeter shooting and lateral quickness remain works in progress, but each facet should improve to some capacity with extended opportunity. The forward showcased a glimpse of his former self scoring 21 points in the 76ers’ 123-114 win against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 20th. But, those moments have been few and far between as injuries have limited George’s impact throughout his Philadelphia tenure.
The others
The 76ers’ injury updates don’t end with George.
Philadelphia downgraded Joel Embiid to out for its matchup against Orlando because of right knee injury management. The team initially labeled him as questionable before ruling him out during the same timeframe as George. Embiid will miss his seventh consecutive game with this issue and his eighth overall.
Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice reported that Philadelphia will re-evaluate Adem Bona after missing its last four games due to a right ankle sprain. VJ Edgecombe (calf) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) will be absent for their second and fifth straight games respectively.