Paul George Goes Off Against Sixers: Did Philadelphia Make a Mistake Trading Him?

Paul George made sure his return to Philadelphia was unforgettable. On November 10, he scored 36 points as a forward for Boston and his team Celtics won convincingly 123 to 101 against 76ers. He drained six threes out of eleven and relished attacking a Philadelphia defense that had relied heavily on him as a primary offensive option once. For Philadelphia this game again served as a stark reminder of how good George can be when he is on his game. For Boston this just met expectations for a key trade that sent them Jaylen Brown.

George's standout performance really came in the fourth quarter; after Philadelphia continued to battle Boston then Boston took control with offense through George who scored 14 points in just about 4 minutes. George's surge enabled Boston to increase their lead to 111 to 87 and made the game essentially meaningless. George scored both open shots and made plays exploiting mismatches defensively; he hit shots from deep as well as attacking defense; Philadelphia could not respond to that period. This shows George is a standout forward who has always been rated among the best players for both offense and defense in NBA.

Philadelphia made right move letting George go. His tenure with 76ers has been very far from good. Injuries have plagued him and his first season was very unsatisfactory. He received a suspension of 25 games for violation of anti drug policy in a previous season too. Circumstances made his departure easier to accept since the Sixers were looking to change roster. Still though flashes of value were evident such as very strong contribution playoffs against Boston. Trading for Jaylen Brown however now shows that Sixers are not getting much from George anymore.

Judging Philadelphia on just one game does not do justice to their move. Jaylen Brown brings scoring and athleticism and versatility as well. Clearly Sixers made this trade for future but sight of George scoring 36 points against old team is uncomfortable in Philadelphia. Philadelphia had hoped for different direction but Boston found an offensive standout who excels in their system. George's performance Tuesday has already answered whether he can still play at a high level now the real question is whether Philadelphia has received fair return for letting him go.

Paul George's performance against Philadelphia now suggests that this trade has gained new aspects. Boston won 123 to 101; George scored 36 and Philadelphia suffered another tough night at former player's hands again. It is far too early to declare clear winners for this trade that will be measured over many years but talk now is growing interesting. If George keeps playing this well and Brown also establishes himself in Philadelphia, comparison of these two players will soon be one of the most interesting storylines for this NBA season so far. For now George already has made a strong first impression on his former team and Philadelphia now must react when they play next.