The Philadelphia 76ers suffered a blowout 142-110 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday, Feb. 24. It was the Sixers’ 37th loss of the season, highlighting the struggles the franchise has faced despite a strong offseason of recruitment.
In an episode of his ‘Podcast P’ podcast that aired shortly before the game, Paul George announced that he would be putting his show on hiatus until the end of the season. The veteran All-Star cited a desire to help turn the Sixers season around as the core factor in his decision-making.
“It’s no secret this season is up to this point, man,” George said. “It hasn’t been what we envision…With that being said, though, I want to let the Podcast P family know that after today’s episode with Dwight (Howard), I plan to take a break from the pod to focus on getting my body right, getting mentally right and help this squad make a push towards our goal. To finish the season, I’ll give ourselves a chance to be in contention to compete for a championship.”
George has struggled since putting on a Sixers uniform. In 38 games he’s averaging 16.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 43.2% from the field and 35.5% from deep. The Sixers will need a higher level of production from him between now and the end of the season if Nick Nurse’s team is to stand a chance of making the playoffs.
Sixers Waiting on Joel Embiid News
Joel Embiid missed Philadelphia’s loss to the Bulls. The former MVP is currently working with specialists to decide the best course of action to help fix his current knee issues.
“Embiid is scheduled to undergo tests on his knee early this week, at which point both parties will collaborate with specialists on the best route forward, sources said,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Feb. 23. “Embiid has publicly and privately said in recent weeks that he might need surgery or an extended rest period for his knee to heal, but he has been determined to find ways to play and be available for the 76ers.”
Embiid has rarely featured for the Sixers this season, suiting up just 19 times. When he’s on the floor, Embiid remains an impactful player, averaging 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists on 44.4% shooting from the field.
Nevertheless, it’s clear that his knee issues aren’t going away. As such, it makes sense to potentially shut him down for the season and ensure he gets his body right ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
Sixers’ Paul George Also Dealing With Injury
Embiid isn’t the only player currently carrying an injury. George is reportedly dealing with an injury to a finger on his left hand, forcing him to receive pain-killing injections before games.
“I’m hanging in there,” George told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I’m just trying to give this team everything I have. The report is true. I’m taking some sort of medicines to kind of, I guess, play through pain. But yeah, I’m going to try to give everything I got.”
If George ends up missing a stretch of time in the coming weeks, the Sixers season is all but over. However, if he can stay on the court, and his decision to step away from his podcast helps him lock in, there’s still time for the Sixers to surge up the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, without a healthy Embiid, it may be better for Nurse to accept this isn’t Philadelphia’s season and begin preparing for a difficult summer.
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