PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers will receive a key piece of their success on Wednesday when Paul George returns from a 25-game suspension against the Chicago Bulls.
Now is the time for the 76ers to break into the top six in the Eastern Conference. A fifth seed is very possible as they are only 1.5 games behind the trailing Toronto Raptors with 10 games remaining, and they do have a tiebreaker with the Raptors. The 76ers lost 123-103 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, but knowing George is coming back is a huge boost for everyone.
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“It’s Paul George, man,” VJ Edgecombe said with a laugh. “He’s elite. He’s elite. He’s one of the smoothest players to ever touch the basketball. He’s a two-way player. So it means a lot for him to be back on the court. Especially after he’s been out. It means a lot to him to be back on the court and for me and my teammates, I just want to see them succeed and see them be happy in the right space.”
George played 27 games this season, averaging 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting 38.2% from three-point range. The Sixers miss his ability to create offense for others and help on the defensive end. He’s been participating in workouts with the scout team and more.
“It’s going to be great,” Beauchamp added of George. “The way he moves and plays. You know, I saw him in the game group and he looks ready to go. We need his leadership and we can’t wait to get him back. He’s a special player and we’re going to try to get these wins and get back on track.”
George’s return for the final 10 games will be a big help to the Sixers as they secure a playoff spot. They trail the Atlanta Hawks in the sixth-seed game — though the Hawks have the tiebreaker — and the nine-time All-Star will look to move forward with the team.
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“P is a big factor,” Justin Edwards said. “He’s a big part of our team, so we’re excited to have him back.”
The Sixers and Bulls will tip off Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.
This article originally appeared on 76ers Wired: Multiple Sixers react to Paul George’s impending return against Bulls