Paul George is not expected to play in the Philadelphia 76ers ' season opener Wednesday against the Boston Celtics and still "has some checkmarks he has to hit" in his return to play following the left arthroscopic knee surgery he underwent in the offseason, ESPN's Shams Charania reports.

With expectations reset, Philadelphia hopes to bounce back and reclaim its spot among the league’s elite. But much of that optimism still rests on the health of Embiid and George, whose arrival last summer was seen as the spark needed to strengthen the franchise’s championship contender status.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse seemed skeptical that Paul George would play on opening night. The latest reporting indicates it is unlikely.

As the Philadelphia 76ers prepare for their preseason finale, the team took a major step in the right direction as the veteran forward Paul George was deemed a

Adam Aaronson: Nick Nurse says Paul George still needs to get his conditioning back up, but he’s “really pushing himself” to get in the best shape possible. Said his defensive acumen has really stood out.

Welcome to another edition of 5 Sixers thoughts as another week of Sixers preseason begins. The Sixers will be able to practice all week before playing host to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night in their final exhibition.