The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a hot start, winning their first two games for the first time since the 2020-21 season. Their backcourt has been unbelievable thus far, thanks to the addition of Philly’s third overall pick, VJ Edgecombe, who scored 34 points in his NBA debut against the Boston Celtics. Additionally, Joel Embiid was able to find his rhythm against the Charlotte Hornets, scoring an impressive 20 points in 20 minutes. 

That said, while the team has been able to find success early, the wins haven’t necessarily been pretty. In both of their games, the Sixers had to fight back at the end of the fourth quarter to pull off a last-minute comeback. It’s good to see the fight in this team, but it’s not ideal to be down late in the game. 

Fortunately for the Sixers, there’s a player on their roster who could be the final piece of the puzzle. That player is star forward Paul George, who has been out for the first few games of the season as he’s still recovering from the knee surgery he underwent in July. 

George wasn’t amazing last season, averaging just 16.2 PPG on 43% shooting, which was certainly a down year for his standards. Even so, the Sixers were riddled with injuries, and he wasn’t put into a great position to succeed with Philadelphia. 

Now, however, there appears to be a place for George on this roster that would maximize his impact without him having to be “the guy.” In both games, there were stretches in which the opposing teams went on large scoring runs, putting the Sixers down late in the game. 

During these stretches, they lacked a player on offense taking command. This is where a star like George can come in, as he can help the Sixers maintain a lead even when some of their best players are playing poorly. 

It’s been evident during these games that, had George been playing, they likely wouldn’t have given up those big runs. Even if he were to score just a few buckets during these stretches, it would make a huge difference in the overall outcome of the game. 

When George returns, he should be in a beautiful position to succeed, as even Dominick Barlow has been able to find pockets in these games to make his impact. His addition back to the lineup would also make him the fifth starter who’s more than capable of scoring 20-30 points on any given night, which will be major for Philadelphia’s sustainability throughout the season.

It’s very possible that there isn’t a standout star this season for the Sixers, but rather one of the best team efforts that we’ve seen in recent years. For the first time in a long time, their roster looks complete, and if they stay healthy, they could be a top seed in the Eastern Conference.