Paul George sustains knee injury during second NBA preseason game for the 76ers

Paul George, a nine-time NBA All-Star who signed with Philadelphia as a free agent during the off-season, suffered a hyperextension of his left knee in a pre-season win against the Atlanta Hawks, as reported by the team on Monday.

During the first half, while defending against Atlanta's Jalen Johnson, George appeared to awkwardly plant his leg.

He did not return to the game after contributing eight points on three-of-five shooting, along with two rebounds, one assist, and one steal in just over 12 minutes of play.

In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, George mentioned that he felt the hyperextension and recognized the need for a medical evaluation, but he expressed that he was "not too concerned about it."

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse expressed optimism that George would return to the court "right away."

This injury to George follows the announcement that star center Joel Embiid will not participate in any pre-season games as part of a management strategy for his surgically repaired left knee.

Last season, Embiid played only 39 games due to a torn lateral meniscus and returned after surgery with just seven games remaining in the regular season.

He was still using a knee brace while helping the United States secure a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

When asked on Monday about concerns regarding Embiid's availability for the 76ers' season opener against Milwaukee on October 23rd, Nurse stated that he was "not really sure where we're at with that."

"However, we are following the plan we established," Nurse added.

SportsLigue