NBA
Philadelphia’s Paul George (knee) is expected to miss opening night for the 76ers
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated3 hours ago on October 17, 2025
In less than one week, the 76ers will play their first game of the 2025-26 season. The team will be in Boston on Wednesday, October 22, vs. the Celtics.
For that matchup, the Sixers are expected to be without one of their key players. All-star forward Paul George is still recovering from offseaosn knee surgery. On Thursday, NBA insiders announced that the 35-year-old is set to miss opening night for the 76ers. However, George is making “significant progress” in his rehab.
When will the Philadelphia 76ers see Paul George on the court?
Reporting for NBA Today on 76ers forward Paul George’s status to begin the 2025-26 season: pic.twitter.com/qcWGz4OR1D
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 16, 2025
During an offseason workout, 76ers’ Paul George suffered a knee injury. The veteran forward underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in July. Recently, NBA insider Shams Charania reported that Paul George is making “significant progress” in his rehab. However, the nine-time all-star still has to clear a few hurdles before he makes a return. Charania noted that George will not be available for Philadelphia’s season opener.
It’s the second consecutive season that Paul George hasn’t played in the first game of the year. In the 2024-25 season, George missed the 76ers’ first five games due to a hyperextended knee. He suffered that injury during the preseason, and it lingered for most of the year. Paul George appeared in just 41 games for the 76ers in 2024-25. Additionally, George missed the final 21 games of the 2024-25 season due to injury.
BREAKING: Paul George is expected to miss the Sixers’ season opener, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/QLOd6iQMBX
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 16, 2025
He received injections in his adductor and knee, which ended his season early. Ahead of 2025-26, Paul George is dealing with a knee injury. The 35-year-old underwent an arthroscopic procedure in July and is still recovering. NBA insider Shams Charania noted that George is expected to make his debut “shortly into the regular season.”
Ahead of the 2025-26 season, the 76ers are trying to remain optimistic. However, the team saw how quickly their season fell apart in 2024-25 due to a series of injuries. Philadelphia needs its star talent to stay healthy and available. Paul George was far from that last season. If the 76ers want any chance to make a playoff run, they need a vintage season from George. On top of that, the Sixers need 2022-23 MVP Joel Embiid to play more than 19 games. Over the last two seasons, Embiid has appeared in just 58 games for the 76ers. Will 2025-26 be any different?
