You know, the NBA preseason is supposed to be a warm-up, not a drama fest, right? But here we are, talking about the Sixers and their latest rollercoaster ride. Let’s dive in!
Paul George’s Knee Drama
So, picture this: Paul George, the Sixers’ shiny new star, hits the court in Atlanta for just his second preseason game. Everything’s cool until, bam, his left knee decides to hyperextend while he’s guarding Jalen Johnson. Ouch! The dude didn’t come back after that, which had everyone biting their nails. Coach Nick Nurse was cautiously optimistic, saying, “Hopefully itโll be OK, so heโs back with us right away.” Fingers crossed, right?
COMPLETE speculation here butโฆ
This didn’t look comfortable for Paul George. Hopefully him sitting the second half is unrelated.
โ Erin Grugan (@eringrugan)
George himself tried to downplay it, telling The Philadelphia Inquirer, “I felt that it hyperextended, and immediately it was, all right, I need to get taken out and (looked at), but if you ask me, Iโm not too concerned about it.” I mean, I think he’s trying to stay positive, but let’s be real, knees are tricky.
Embiid’s Preseason Sideline
Just when you thought the Sixers’ injury woes couldn’t get any worse, Joel Embiid is already out for the rest of the preseason. The big guy’s been dealing with knee issues since last season, and Philly’s not taking any chances. Daryl Morey even hinted that both Embiid and George might skip back-to-backs this season. Smart move or nah?
Embiid’s track record isn’t exactly spotless. He’s missed a whopping 204 games over eight seasons. That’s like missing two whole seasons! And last year, his knee injury kept him from defending his MVP title. Talk about a bummer.
Sixers’ Big Gamble
Now, let’s talk money. George signed a massive four-year, $212 million deal with Philly after opting out of his contract with the Clippers. That’s some serious cash! But with both him and Embiid on the injury watch list, it’s a bit of a gamble. I mean, can the Sixers break their Eastern Conference semifinals curse from 2001? Only time will tell.
The Sixers kick off their season against the Bucks on October 23. Will they have their stars ready to shine, or are we looking at another season of “what ifs”? What do you thinkโare the Sixers playing it safe or just playing with fire?
