Paul George expected to make Sixers season debut tonight vs. Clippers

Nine-time All-Star Paul George is expected to make his NBA season debut tonight for the Philadelphia 76ers, according to multiple reports. And, ironically enough, it will be against his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers, where he played for five seasons.

George, 35, had knee surgery on his left knee in the offseason, delaying his season debut as he went through recovery and rehabilitation. He has not played a game since March 4, when the Sixers fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-112.

George signed a four-year, $212 million contract in free agency in the summer of 2024, but his first year in the City of Brotherly Love was marred with injuries.

Still, despite his absence at the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Philadelphia has managed a 7-5 record, currently good for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Paul George 76ers stats

George played only 41 games for the 76ers in his first year with the team. That said, even when he was on the court, it was clear he wasn’t at 100%. He scored more than 20 points in just 10 of his games with the team. His 16.2 points per game with the Sixers was his lowest mark since he played just six games for the Indiana Pacers during the 2014-15 season.

Has George played the Clippers since he joined the 76ers?

This will not be George’s first game against the Clippers since leaving the organization. Last year, his second game played was on the road against the Clippers. George put up 18 points in what wound up being a 110-98 loss for Philadelphia. George was inactive for Philly’s other game against the Clippers that year.

George played for the Clippers from the 2019-20 season through 2023-24 and was an All-Star for three of his five seasons. He joined the Clippers after a two-year stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder following seven seasons with the Pacers, that team that selected him in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft.