Paul George out for Sixers opener vs Celtics after knee surgery

Paul George will not be available for the Philadelphia 76ers’ regular-season opener against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, head coach Nick Nurse confirmed, as the veteran forward continues to progress from arthroscopic knee surgery performed in July. George only recently returned to limited 5-on-5 work in practice and is not yet ready to play, Nurse said.

"No," Nurse said when asked if George could suit up. "Yesterday was his first day of live, and today was a short amount of 5-on-5. So we have to just keep waiting." The 35-year-old has begun ramping up contact work, but the team is prioritizing his full recovery rather than rushing him back for opening night.

George underwent arthroscopic surgery in mid-July after sustaining a knee injury during an offseason workout. He missed significant time last season, appearing in 41 regular-season games in his first year with Philadelphia. Combined with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the trio played only 112 games in 2024-25 as injuries contributed to the Sixers finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia gave George a four-year, $211.6 million contract last offseason amid expectations he would form a new core alongside Embiid...