When Will Paul George Make 76ers Season Debut amid Knee Injury Recovery?

The Philadelphia 76ers could have their roster at full strength for the first time all season very soon if Paul George's upcoming doctor visit goes well.

Head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Friday that George's meeting with doctors this weekend is "the last hurdle" he has to clear before being back on the court.

George had arthroscopic knee surgery in July after suffering an injury during an offseason workout.

The Sixers didn't provide any timeline for George to return when he originally had the procedure. He didn't appear in any preseason games for the club, but his practice participation did start to ramp up about a week before the regular season tipped off.

George went through his first five-on-five practice session on Oct. 16, but the team wasn't going to try rushing him back.

"Yesterday was his first day live and … today was a short amount of 5-on-5, so we just have to keep waiting," Nurse said at the time.

The 76ers have a three-game homestand that starts with a back-to-back on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors and Sunday against the Detroit Pistons.

After an off-day on Monday, the Sixers will host the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. They only have one more game next week after that, against the Pistons in Detroit on Nov. 14.

George's first season in Philadelphia was plagued by injuries that limited him to just 41 games. His last appearance was on March 4 before being shut down with knee and adductor injuries.

This season marks the second year of George's four-year, $211.6 million contract signed in July 2024. His 16.2 points per game last season were his fewest since 2014-15 when he only played in six games for the Indiana Pacers after suffering a compound leg fracture during a Team USA scrimmage leading up to the FIBA World Cup.

Philadelphia has fallen back to earth with three losses in its last four games after a 4-0 start. A 5-3 record through eight games is very encouraging given that George has yet to play, Jared McCain has only played one game and Joel Embiid has been on a minutes restriction in his five starts.

The combination of Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe have elevated the offense to third in the NBA in points per game and efficiency rating. Maxey leads the league in scoring with 33.5 points per contest.