PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday looking to get back in the win column. The Sixers are sitting at 7-5 following a loss on Friday in Detroit and will look to get back in the right direction with some reinforcements joining them on the floor.
After missing the first 12 games of the season, Paul George will make his season debut. He has been working his way back from arthroscopic left knee surgery and the Sixers will welcome him back to the floor on Monday as they look to get themselves back in the right direction.
Of course, George needed to get the final clearance, so coach Nick Nurse was speaking in hypotheticals pregame, but there will be a minutes restriction for him.
“He’ll be on a minutes restriction for sure, if he plays,” Nurse said before the final clearance. “He’s still being checked out here. The final clearance is still coming.”
George hasn’t played in a game since March 4 so the minutes restriction is not a surprise. In terms of what the Sixers are looking for from the 9-time All-Star, Nurse laid out his expectations.
“I’m just curious,” Nurse said of George. “Again, he’s been moving great out there. Again, I’m always talking about get the conditioning in, get up and down, take what comes offensively, and always liked the way he plays defense. He’s just a good instinctual defensive player, so, just looking for those things.”
Starters:
Tyrese Maxey
VJ Edgecombe
Paul George
Dominick Barlow
Andre Drummond #Sixers— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) November 17, 2025
While George is set for a return, the Sixers will miss Joel Embiid for the fourth straight game. His designation was right knee injury management for the reasoning for missing this matchup with the Clippers, but Nurse expects the big fella to return sooner rather than later.
“He’s OK, I would say,” Nurse stated on Embiid. “Just not quite pain-free. Still day-to-day. I think it’s getting better. I don’t think he’s far away from playing.”
The Sixers and the Clippers will do battle at 7 p.m. EST on Monday before then hosting the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. One has to wonder if Embiid will return then.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers injury news: Paul George back vs. Clippers, Joel Embiid update
