Paul George Responds to 'Washed' Criticism After 35-Point Game, 76ers SF's Top Quotes

Paul George's first season with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2024-25 was rough, as the star wing struggled with injuries and only appeared in 41 total games.

He's looked far better this season, however, and was excellent in Sunday's 120-117 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, scoring 35 points while hitting seven threes.

"Just been healthier," George told reporters. "Last year was a lot going on. I was just trying to patch up stuff. This year, I'm a lot healthier. I feel like I can play my game. I feel like I can be myself. There's still some things I got to come back. I'm not all the way 100, but I'm more myself than I was last year. So that's the positive that I can take, and everything else is with time, I'm just going to continue to get better."

"I mean, prior to coming here, I was coming off one of my most efficient seasons," he added. "All-Star that year. I didn't see myself being washed that fast, but I knew. I knew that this league is about what you can do now, and they tend to forget everything that I have done. So, it was a bit of motivation going into the summer to just get healthy and kind of let everything else take care of itself."

While George appears to finally be healthy after a number of injury issues both last season and to start the 2025-26 campaign, the Sixers have yet again been beset by health concerns.

The star trio of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey have appeared in just two games this season, while key role players like Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford are currently sidelined (and Maxey has missed the past two games due to an illness).

"We're super concerned," Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters regarding Maxey's illness. "We're concerned because he's sick, and he wasn't well enough to get on the floor here for a couple of games. After Friday's game, we thought he'd be at the plane to come with us but didn't make it. I talked to him last night, and he said he'd see me at practice Tuesday. I said, 'I'm not sure we're practicing Tuesday, but I'll be there. Me and you, man. I'll see you there.' It's been a bit, but yeah. It is concerning, but, again, he's improving. Hopefully, it'll get him to where he's good enough to get back in action."

Through it all, the Sixers have managed to go 14-11, buoyed by Maxey's huge season when healthy (31.5 PPG, 7.2 APG), the strong rookie campaign of No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe (15.2 PPG) and Quentin Grimes' efforts off the bench (16.2 PPG).

George, 35, is averaging 17.1 points and five rebounds per game in 10 contests, though he's now off a minutes restriction and has put up 20 or more points in three of his past four games. He's starting to look like the star the Sixers were expecting when they signed him to a four-year, $211.5 million contract.

And if the Sixers can get healthy all at once, they look like a potential playoff contender. Much of that will be contingent on George continuing to play a high level, however.