Paul George wasted $400m and failed drug test but 76ers star can erase ‘Playoff P’ shadow with historic Game 7

“We’re still alive,” said Paul George, after the seventh-best team in the Eastern Conference forced Game 7 vs the Boston Celtics.

So is George’s NBA career, which had been on the verge of emptiness just three months ago.

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The unexpected return of Paul George

“I’m finally enjoying it now that I’m able to do things I was once able to do again,” said George, after the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Celtics 106-93 in Game 6 of a first-round series.

“It’s fun again. It’s like seeing who I am again. How can I be relevant again? How can I chase some of the things I was doing in my past?”

George had lost almost all of his relevancy as an NBA player in January, when he was banned 25 games without pay for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.

Throw in the fact that a nine-time All-Star had become more known for his podcast obsession than fulfilling his on-court potential, and PG-13 had fallen into the modern basketball trap.

Too much money, too much down time and too many distractions that had nothing to do with finally winning a world championship.

“We just don’t have the habits a champion, or playoff contending team, would have,” George said in February 2025, when Philly was burning through another frustrating season.

“To be honest, right now it’s a little far-fetched.”

George grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant, was overlooked during college recruiting and first made his hardwood name playing for Fresno State, which isn’t the basketball capital of the NCAA.

Used to be easy to root for PG-13

He initially starred for the small-market Indiana Pacers in The Association and seemed primed for Finals runs during his early 20s, when his well-rounded attack featured MVP votes and All-Defensive Team selections.

Where did it all go sideways?

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A horrible leg injury suffered during a Team USA scrimmage in 2014 changed George’s career and he only played in six NBA games (no starts) during the 2014-15 season.

Then there was George forcing his way off the Pacers and being traded to the pre-championship Oklahoma City Thunder, despite PG-13 preferring to become a Los Angeles Laker.

At the end of the superteam era, the superstar pairings never worked for George and his ‘Playoff P’ shadow became impossible to shake.

He finished third in MVP voting in 2018-19 with the Thunder, while averaging 28 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.2 steals.

George made poor decisions and went backward

But OKC lacked roster depth and a two-man show with Russell Westbrook led to the Thunder getting knocked out of the first round 4-1 by Damian Lillard‘s Portland Trail Blazers.

The best it got for George with the LA Clippers was the Western Conference finals in 2020-21.

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But Kawhi Leonard missed the next season and the Clippers failed to make the playoffs, while George went from annual All-NBA votes to simply an All-Star.

Then an athlete with $406 million in career earnings became best known for “Podcast P with Paul George,” and a massive annual contract ($51.6m this season) turned into one of the worst deals in the NBA.

“To let people down hurt more than kind of anything,” George said in March, when he explained that taking a banned substance was linked to a mental health issue that arose from a knee injury.

“The most difficult thing is when your body isn’t where you know it needs to be or where it once was. That leads and bleeds into the mental side of things, knowing that you’re limited.

“But for me, I feel good, my body is feeling great. Mentally, I know I’m capable of doing what I can do and what I’ve been able to on the court for years.”

76ers can knock out Celtics in Boston

On Thursday night, George played a co-game high 40 minutes, scored 23 points on 8-of-17 shooting, drilled five 3-pointers, grabbed four boards, dished out three assists, collected two steals and led the 76ers back to Boston for Game 7 on Saturday.

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“Once he came back from his 25 games, he had a mission,” said 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, who scored a game-high 30 points on Thursday.

“I think he’s been accomplishing that mission.”

Philly was down 3-1 in the series against a No. 2 seed, and Joel Embiid was the 76ers’ third-best player in Game 6.

Philadelphia is heading back to Boston because a 35-year-old George rediscovered the game he once loved.

With one more throwback night vs the Celtics, Playoff P can shake off years of postseason haters and remake his name in Philly.

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