The age and contract are certainly concerns for Paul George as he begins his Celtics tenure, but nothing is more of a worry than his durability and injury history. And while actions obviously will speak a lot louder than words, it was still great to hear PG speak so confidently about his health and physical status in his introductory press conference on Tuesday.
"I feel great again. I feel like I've turned a corner of dealing with injuries, and now kind of reestablishing myself, and from a physical standpoint again."
This statement may look foolish in a few months if George is dealing with injury issues and struggling to stay on the court, but I’m choosing to be optimistic and believe him. Call me a hater, but the Sixers haven’t exactly proven to be the best team at handling players’ health and fitness over the years.
The fact that PG wasn’t at the peak of his durability during his two seasons in Philadelphia may not be the most accurate reflection of where his body’s at. Sure, he’s 36 years old, but we’ve seen the Celtics masterfully manage vets in the past, like Al Horford and Jrue Holiday, getting the most out of them come playoff time.
George’s durability has certainly been an issue, but early in his career, other than the major injury he suffered playing for Team USA, he was a bit of an iron man, playing in 81, 75, 79, and 77 games in the four seasons following the lost season in 2014-15.
Context is important with George's durability
Durability issues popped up after that when he joined the Clippers, but again, I think it’s fair to put some of that on the LA culture and his famously load-managing teammate, Kawhi Leonard. George turned things around in his final LA season, playing in 74 games and making the All-Star Game in the 2023-24 season, but then fell off a cliff in Philly.
But again, context is important. The first 76ers season was a complete disaster, and the team quickly realized that leaning fully into the tank and perhaps keeping PG out when he could have played. Then last season, he only played in 37 games, but 25 were missed due to a suspension. When he returned, he was rock solid and, of course, looked great in the playoffs - especially against the Celtics.
It’s not like Paul is a guy who has never been able to stay healthy. For years, he was one of the most reliable superstars in the NBA. The Celtics don’t need him to get to that point, and nobody is expecting 75+ games this season.
But if he feels as great as he says and he’s truly ready to reestablish himself as he claims, with the Boston training staff managing his body and minutes and him playing more of a complementary role rather than being a first option, there’s potential to see some real special stuff from George in a Celtics uniform.
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