76ers star Paul George suffers hyperextended left knee

Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George suffered a hyperextended left knee within the second quarter of Monday’s preseason win in Atlanta and did not return.

“Hopefully it’s going to be OK, so he is again with us immediately,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse advised reporters after the sport.

George, enjoying in his second preseason sport with the 76ers after signing a four-year max contract as a free agent this offseason, was defending Hawks ahead Jalen Johnson on a drive with a bit of over eight minutes to go within the second quarter when his left leg planted awkwardly and bent at an odd angle.

He rapidly exited the sport and did not return, with the workforce ruling George out for the rest of the night within the second half.

“I felt that it hyperextended, and instantly it was, all proper, I must get taken out and (checked out), however for those who ask me, I am not too involved about it,” George advised The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Philadelphia had already dominated out Joel Embiid for the remainder of the preseason Sunday, because the star heart continues to ramp up his conditioning and exercise ranges to be prepared for subsequent week’s regular-season opener at dwelling in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 23. Embiid suffered a left knee damage final season that restricted him to 39 video games.

The 76ers had been already planning to be cautious with the well being of each George and Embiid this season, with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey telling ESPN that each stars will “in all probability not play many back-to-backs, if any.”

And for all the consideration on Embiid’s damage historical past — he has missed 204 video games over the previous eight seasons and sat out his first two years within the NBA with foot accidents — the 74 video games George performed final season in his last 12 months with the Clippers had been his most since 2019 and got here after he’d performed not more than 56 video games in every of his prior 4 seasons in Los Angeles.