Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George has a bone bruise in left knee
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Paul George of the Philadelphia 76ers dunking against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter of a pre-season game on Oct 14. He was injured during the second quarter.
PHOTO: AFP
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PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George’s worrisome left knee “checked out OK” on Oct 15, coach Nick Nurse said.
Nurse added that the veteran forward “is OK for now”, but is still awaiting further imaging results.
George was injured during the second quarter of the 76ers’ 104-89 National Basketball Association (NBA) pre-season victory over the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Oct 14.
He was on defence, matching up with Atlanta forward Jalen Johnson, when he hyperextended his left knee. He subbed out with 8min 9sec remaining in the first half and did not return to the court, finishing with eight points on three-of-five shooting from the field in 12 minutes of action.
The Sixers’ former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid has already been shut down by the team on Oct 13 for the rest of the pre-season due to his troublesome knee.
George, 34, made one of the biggest splashes in free agency this past summer when he signed a four-year, US$212 million (S$277.7 million) contract with the Sixers after spending the previous five seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers.
In 74 games (all starts) last season, George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He was also named an All-Star for the ninth time in his career.
George has career averages of 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals, appearing in 867 games (819 starts) for the Indiana Pacers (2010 to 2017), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017 to 2019) and the Clippers (2019 to 2024).
Meanwhile, after missing the past two seasons with a serious knee injury, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is expected to return on Oct 16, ESPN reported on Oct 14.
The Bulls host the Minnesota Timberwolves in a pre-season game on Oct 16, after press time. Chicago open the regular season on Oct 23 at the New Orleans Pelicans.
Ball, 26, last played in a game for Chicago in January 2022. Multiple procedures on his left knee since then include a rare double cartilage transplant.
A successful comeback would be something of a medical miracle for Ball, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. His procedure in 2023 included a meniscus transplant and osteochondral allograft to replace the damaged cartilage in the joint.
“This is something that no one has really come back from,” Ball said during Chicago’s Media Day earlier in October.
“I pretty much have a brand-new knee. So it’s always going to be a little bit different than what God gave me to start off with. But I’m feeling good, I’m feeling healthy enough to play.”
Acquired in a trade with New Orleans before the 2021-22 season, Ball averaged 13.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals in 35 starts before being shut down.
He has career averages of 11.9 points, 6.2 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 252 games (239 starts).
In Memphis, guard Scotty Pippen Jr signed a multi-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies
The exact length and financial terms of the contract were not released.
Pippen, 23, was on a two-way contract with Memphis last season, averaging 12.9 points, 4.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 21 games (16 starts). He is the son of six-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen. REUTERS
