Back In Philadelphia With Celtics, Paul George Looks Forward To ‘a Regular Game'

Back in Philadelphia with Celtics, Paul George looks forward to ‘a regular game'  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Paul George’s presence back in town was one of the many swirling morning storylines at Xfinity Mobile Arena. 

For good reason, former Celtics teammates Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum will draw immense attention Tuesday night. After all, Brown has said there “might be a little lamb chops with some gravy” between the two, if not a full-blown beef.

But George’s return to Philadelphia is more than a tiny subplot. Following two seasons in Philadelphia, he was the centerpiece of the Sixers’ summer trade package to acquire Brown.

George told reporters before the Celtics’ shootaround that it feels like “a regular game.” 

“Had I been here eight, nine, 10 years, different story,” he said. “I was here two years. Obviously, we didn’t have the best of luck or had a great, I think, partnership in terms of my ability to stay healthy and on the floor. So that kind of played into a lot of it. 

“But obviously, it’s a tremendous fan base, a great sports town to play in. So that was appreciated. There’s no ill will for me. It’ll be fun to just compete. And outside of that, it’s a normal game.”

The 36-year-old George indeed had trouble staying available for sustained stretches as a Sixer. He dealt with a variety of injuries and served a 25-game suspension last season for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.

George did play well on both ends of the floor for much of the 2026 playoffs. He helped the Sixers come back to win a seven-game first-round series against the Celtics in historic fashion. The nine-time All-Star also brought a veteran steadiness to the Sixers’ locker room and was glad to mentor younger players like VJ Edgecombe. 

“Just his routine … even when he got hot, he didn’t try to force it,” Jabari Walker said Tuesday morning. “His game was smooth and I think that’s how he is as a person, just not forcing anything and having a calm energy.”

George has certainly enjoyed his early days as a Celtic.

Through nine games, he’s averaged 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals while shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range. Boston will enter Tuesday night’s matchup second in the Eastern Conference standings at 8-2, the Sixers first at 9-2.

“I’ve been kind of blown away,” George said. “I think it exceeded my expectations since being in Boston. You never know how much culture is involved and how much culture changes your outlook on things and the effect it has mentally, physically, just being in an environment … and the culture that Boston presents. 

“So I’ve been thrilled. I’ve been playing some of my best basketball of late, and just been enjoying grinding it out with these guys out here. It’s a fun style of play and I can’t talk (enough) about just the thrill, the happiness and the excitement and joy that it has brought being here.” 

He was asked what sort of reception he expects from Sixers fans. 

“Not sure,” George said. “In some ways, I helped land them a future piece for them. So with that, not sure how the reception would be.”