Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George will miss the remainder of the season after receiving injections in his left adductor muscle and left knee on Monday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
George’s numbers were down considerably this season, averaging just 16.2 points on 43% shooting, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 41 games. The nine-time All-Star has been out since March 4.
With center Joel Embiid and guard Tyrese Maxey also out of action, guard Quentin Grimes has been picking up a lot of the slack, averaging 25.5 points on 50.5% shooting, 4.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.3 steals in his last six games. With Grimes set to be a restricted free agent this offseason, he’s certainly setting himself up for a nice payday.
Though Grimes is shooting just 25.9% on his pull-up three-point shot attempts in those games, he’s averaging 52.6% on the catch-and-shoot variety. He’s also converted 16 of his 27 shot attempts on the drive during that stretch and has gotten to the free-throw line a little over five times a game.
Grimes will likely never be the top option of a championship-contending team, but this is a solid opportunity for him to expand his game and become a better fit next to Embiid, George, and Maxey next season.
Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. should also get a ton of run once he returns from his knee injury, as he is capable of putting up 20 points on any given night. However, the timetable for his return to the court is unclear.
Guard Ricky Council IV is a candidate to see more playing time, as he’s averaging 14.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in his last four games. Forward Justin Edwards may also continue to see more game action, as he’s averaging 9.0 points in his last five games.
Guard Lonnie Walker IV was held out in his last two games, but he put up 25 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in Philadelphia’s 126-122 win over the Utah Jazz on March 9.
Overall, the Sixers have some decent scoring options with their stars out. However, since they’ve been so bad this season, it might be better for them to just full-on tank.
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