Is Paul George playing tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers? Latest on 76ers star's availability (Mar. 3)

Paul George's struggles this season appear to be a reflection of the Philadelphia 76ers' challenges as well. In the same way that the Sixers have gone from a playoff team last season to a cellar-dweller this year, George has seen a decline in a number of individual statistics.

The injury bug has also plagued George this season, causing him to miss 19 games thus far. George is on the injury list for the Sixers' matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. Specifically, he is listed as questionable due to left groin soreness.

George's questionable status adds to the roster woes of the Sixers whose lineup has been decimated by major injuries. Following Philly's game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9, the team has missed the services of Kyle Lowry, who is undergoing right hip injury management.

Last Friday, the Sixers announced that Joel Embiid would sit out the rest of the season due to lingering issues with his left knee. Embiid joins Eric Gordon (wrist) and Jared McCain (knee) on the list of Sixers players who have sustained season-ending injuries.

This season, George is averaging 16.5 points on 43.3% shooting from the field and 36.3% from beyond the arc. All three of those numbers are down from his last season with the LA Clippers; in particular, his scoring average and outside shooting clip have taken a major dip from his 2023-24 numbers (22.6 ppg, 41.3% from three).

At 21-38, the Sixers are trying to catch up to the Chicago Bulls' record of 24-37, which is good for 10th in the Eastern Conference. George's availability from here on out becomes even more crucial as a result.

---

Paul George announces hiatus from podcasting

Last week, George announced on X that he would be stepping away from "Podcast P With Paul George" for the time being.

"I plan to take a break from the pod just to focus on getting my body right, getting mentally right," George wrote.

George cited the need to help the Sixers finish the season well as a motivation for his decision to step away from podcasting for now. According to the former All-Star, he wants to put the team in a position "to compete for a championship."