Philadelphia 76ers‘ small forward and shooting guard, Paul George, is currently sidelined due to “ankle soreness.” His last appearance on the court was in a game against the Orlando Magic. However, his recent performances and his position within the team have been a subject of discussion among some of the close followers of his game.
In a recent clip from the ‘Gil’s Arena’ podcast on Instagram, former NBA players Gilbert Arenas and Brandon Jennings delved into Paul George’s recent comments about his on-court role. George expressed that he felt “bored” and was seeking a new challenge, which Gilbert suggested could stem from playing in a position he wasn’t fully content with. However, Jennings wasn’t buying into that perspective. He offered a blunt reality check to George, challenging the notion that his current role was the issue.
Gilbert asserted- “All he’s (George) doing, is just sitting around. He’s not impactful to the defense.” He further stated – “So he’s saying he wants to guard people, that are actually playing basketball. Besides this, the 5 man, just in the duck in, and he’s just sitting there.” He rounded off by saying – “He’s guarding Windell, Carter, he’s guarding Looney, he’s not guarding Clays and all that. He wants to play defense is what he’s saying.”
Jennings responded by saying, “No, but this is my thing, you make the most money in the team, right? Well then call the f*k*n shot.” Gilbert rebounded by presenting that the 76ers are putting George at the five, a position he doesn’t prefer, as he wants to guard players. Jennings hit back, saying, “Go tell the coach”. From Jennings’ statement, it’s clear that he believes if George isn’t satisfied with his role, he shouldn’t shy away from addressing it directly with the coach. Jennings emphasizes that, given George’s seniority and status within the 76ers, he has the leverage and responsibility to advocate for himself and demand a role that better suits his game.
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George’s last outing for the 76ers against Orlando was quite a decent one. The 36-year-old churned out 25 points. His 37-minute spell involved six assists and 10 rebounds. However, despite his brave efforts, his side lost the game. He seems to be a very important piece of the puzzle for 76ers on-court performances. His presence does make a significant difference for other players around. Fans of the team will certainly hope that the forward gets the type of challenge he is looking for.
76ers miss Paul George’s service as they suffer loss against Oklahoma City Thunder
George didn’t play the Philadelphia 76ers game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. There were speculations that his non-participation might just be on the notes of workload management amidst his latest injury concern. A considering factor could also be that the 76ers played their recent two games in a quick turnaround time.
However, in George’s absence, the 76ers faced another setback, falling 102-118 to the Thunder. This marks their third consecutive loss, despite holding leads in both the second and third quarters. Unfortunately, they couldn’t overcome the deficit the Thunder built in the first and fourth quarters.
With that in mind, all attention now shifts to Paul George’s availability for the 76ers’ next home game against the New York Knicks. Will the forward be ready to return to action? That question remains a point of intense scrutiny.
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