From 'rock bottom' to Game 7: Paul George’s physical reset fuels the Sixers’ comeback against Boston

Paul George would rather not have that stain of a 25-game suspension for flunking a drug test on his permanent record. As unnecessary as that failure was, the layoff for the 35-year-old George — who spent most of his first two seasons with the 76ers sidelined with various injuries — came with a bit of a physical rebirth. George got to rest, rehab and then play his way into the game shape and forget about the knee and adductor injuries — among others — that robbed the nine-time All-Star of his full potential that he flashed in his three previous NBA stops.

Paul George doesn't want the stain of a 25-game suspension for a failed drug test on his legacy. But sometimes, the lowest points become the foundation for something greater.

For the 35-year-old George, that forced layoff didn't just cost him games—it gave him a second chance at a career that seemed to be slipping away. After spending most of his first two seasons in Philadelphia battling one injury after another, from knee issues to adductor problems, the nine-time All-Star finally got something he hadn't had in years: time to truly heal.

"I'm finally enjoying it now that I'm able to do things I was once able to do again," George said. "It's fun again. It's like seeing who I am again. How can I be relevant again? How can I chase some of the things I was doing in my past?"

That question is being answered in real time. On Thursday night, George drilled a team-high five 3-pointers and scored 23 points, leading the 76ers to a 106-93 victory over the Celtics. The win forces a decisive Game 7 in Boston, a scenario that seemed impossible when Philadelphia was staring at a 3-1 series deficit.

The turning point came in the third quarter, when Kelly Oubre Jr. blocked Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey scooped up the loose ball, and fed George on the break. What happened next was vintage PG: a dazzling behind-the-back pass to VJ Edgecombe, who finished with a thunderous dunk to push the lead to 69-54. It was the kind of play that reminds everyone why the Sixers invested $212 million in him.

"We keep stacking wins like this, man, who knows where we'll be?" George said.

While Joel Embiid (19 points in just his third game back from an appendectomy), Maxey, and Edgecombe have all played crucial roles in this comeback, George's resurgence might be the most compelling story. After a season where he was often lost in the shuffle—partly due to the suspension, partly because he deferred to his younger teammates—he's finally looking like the star Philadelphia signed.

For a player who hit rock bottom, the view from Game 7 looks pretty good.

From 'rock bottom' to Game 7: Paul George’s physical reset fuels the Sixers’ comeback against Boston

From 'rock bottom' to Game 7: Paul George’s physical reset fuels the Sixers’ comeback against Boston