Philadelphia 76ers fans are holding their breath after new star Paul George suffered an ugly injury during their preseason game on Monday.
The Boston Celtics are the defending NBA champions and the New York Knicks have made headlines with a pair of blockbuster trades before the season. However, the 76ers are a team many around the game believe can make it to the NBA Finals out of the East.
Related: Where do the Philadelphia 76ers land in our preseason NBA power rankings?
Heading into the summer they had one of the game’s very best players, Joel Embiid, and budding superstar Tyrese Maxey as the core of their team. However, in the offseason, they signed future Hall-of-Famer Paul George. If healthy, they have one of the best-starting fives in the game.
Unfortunately, with Embiid and George’s histories that is easier said than done.
Paul George’s knee seems to give out during Philadelphia 76ers’ Monday preseason game
On Monday, the 76ers were in Atlanta for their fourth game of the preseason. This month will be important so Philly’s talented trio can build the chemistry that pays big dividends for them in the spring. Unfortunately, there are now serious concerns that chemistry building will be put on hold for a long time.
While playing defense early in the first half, George’s knee seemed to buckle when he had to stop quickly to stay with his man. He was removed from the game soon after and did not return to the bench for the second half. The 76ers are reportedly calling the injury a hyper-extended knee.
The 34-year-old has had problems staying healthy in recent seasons. Knee injuries have been a specific problem for the last three years. The biggest concern after the Philadelphia 76ers gave him a four-year, $211 million contract was his recent injury woes. This knee injury just a few games into his tenure seems to validate those fears.
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