Between calls for the Philadelphia 76ers to shut Paul George down for the season, the forward has taken it upon himself to take a break… From podcasting.
“I want to let the Podcast P family know that after today’s episode with Dwight [Howard], I plan to take a break from the pod just to focus on getting my body right, get mentally right, and help this squad make a push towards our goal to finish the season out and give ourselves a chance to be in contention to compete for a championship,” George said.
The 34-year-old has struggled mightily this season after joining the 76ers on a four-year, $211 million contract in the off-season.
His 16.2 points per game are his lowest mark since the 2014-15 season when he only played six games due to injury, and his 2011-12 season before that when he averaged 12.1 a night in his sophomore year in the NBA.
Known for being a prolific scorer, the nine-time All-Star hasn’t lived up to expectations and is shooting only 43.2 per cent from the field and 35.5 per cent from three-point range.
He has also missed 19 games with a myriad of injuries, including two separate five-game absences.
“It’s no secret, this season, up to this point, hasn’t been what we envisioned,” George said in his announcement. “I know my goal when I first signed with Philadelphia was to bring a championship to these amazing fans here. I still remain positive about that and that is still the case in where I’m coming from.”
The 76ers as a whole have had a nightmare season, between extended absences from George and former MVP Joel Embiid, to a stellar rookie season from Jared McCain cut short due to a torn meniscus. They’re currently 20-37, good for 12th in the Eastern Conference, and are outside the playoff picture looking in — a far cry from the lofty expectations coming into the year.
George let his frustrations out following a blowout loss to the lowly Chicago Bulls on Monday, saying that the 76ers don’t have a championship approach.
“We’ve shown no sign of a team that will compete,” he said to reporters after the team’s eighth consecutive loss. “We just don’t have the habits of a champion or a playoff-contending team. … So to be honest, right now it’s a little far-fetched. All we can do is work hard and try to just keep going for one another.
“We’ve shown no signs of, forget championship, but a playoff team.”
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