You may not have been able to watch the game—very few were able to, even with League Pass, thanks to a myriad of technical difficulties—but those who saw the Sixers face off against the Timberwolves in Iowa witnessed Paul George‘s debut with the Philadelphia 76ers Friday night.
While Philadelphia ultimately lost the game, their first look at Paul George in the better shade of red, white, and blue was, by all appearances, an instant success. While his box stats were certainly impressive, here’s a look at the ins and outs of what George brought to the table.
A willing and able shooter
Right away, it was plain as day that Paul George is not afraid to shoot the ball. He takes—and makes—tough shots, drives with physicality, and, most importantly, is willing to shoot from beyond the arc.
Now, it’s more prudent to focus on the here and now as opposed to the past, but it’s important too to understand the past to gain a better understanding of your future outlook. That said, it’s time to acknowledge the player comparison that will have a chokehold on Philadelphia all season.
Paul George looks to be a marketable upgrade from Tobias Harris, not just in terms of talent but fit.
As Paul Hudrick of Liberty Ballers pointed out, Paul George’s eight first-half three-point attempts were not just impressive, but that type of volume had rarely been seen by Harris, the player George effectively replaced.
One of the admittedly several issues with Harris’ fit on this team over the years was the lack of volume on his three-point shots. Around a dominant center like Joel Embiid, willing shooters matter, as is the case when you have a driving lead guard like Tyrese Maxey, and frankly, it’s a borderline requirement in general in the modern NBA.
Harris shot a fine percentage from deep in his Sixers career, but a true sharpshooter does not just attempt three-point shots here or there. A true sharpshooter is consistently looking for their next opportunity, unconsciously, seemingly at times. That’s what Paul George brings to the table for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Applying pressure on the defense
Nick Nurse has continually preached the idea of securing possession and pushing the pace down the court. We’ve seen Tyrese Maxey buy into that and have previously heard from Eric Gordon, Caleb Martin, and Ricky Council IV that they also believe in this philosophy.
Friday night was the first chance to visually observe that Paul George has bought in as well. Whether he secured the ball through a defensive rebound or received it on an inbounds play, George was efficient and tactical when bringing the ball up the court.
The sheer fact that he was not only willing but also able to do so is crucial for Philadelphia. Outside of their point guards, the Sixers have very few options for players who could legitimately bring the ball up the floor last season. Joel Embiid was continuously overtasked—perhaps purposefully—with this job, and while Embiid is among the top facilitating center talents in the NBA, it’s simply not a job for your seven-plus-foot superstar.
Now, with Paul Geroge and, to a lesser degree, Eric Gordon, the Sixers have another way to remove some pressure off the backs of both Maxey and Embiid when it comes to advancing the ball.
Bringing out the best in his teammates
Another area of success for George tonight was the way he was able to bring the best out of his teammates. Kelly Oubre was the most obvious example of this, receiving the ball off a dish by George multiple times throughout the night.
Oubre would go on to finish with 16 points on six of nine shooting from the floor and three of five shooting from deep. A very well-balanced night for Oubre, something the Sixers are surely hoping he’ll often enjoy.
When driving, the attention George draws forces defenders to collapse on him, allowing him to share the ball as needed. With that added space, Oubre and other Sixers will have a far easier time connecting from deep.
What’s next for Philadelphia?
The Philadelphia 76ers will have a short turnaround as they will head to Boston for a matchup against the Celtics on Saturday night. Joel Embiid is unlikely to join the team due to a previously scheduled checkup on the knee he injured last season.
Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m., and you will actually be able to watch this game as it will be broadcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
