Why Paul George got “benched” against the Heat

Paul George he didn’t get much playing time in Philly The 76ers match against the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon.

George is in his 16th year in the NBA, his second with the 76ers. Injuries have taken a toll on his time with the team, seeing a career decline for the veteran winger as he enters his mid-thirties.

During his time on the court against Miami, he was only there for 20 minutes despite being in the starting lineup. He finished with 10 points, five assists, two rebounds, one steal and a block. He shot 3-of-10 from the field, including 0-of-5 from beyond the arc, and 4-of-5 from the free throw line.

Head coach Nick Nurse explained the limitation George’s minutes after the game, according to reporter Derek Bodner. He stated that it was for defensive purposes, as he was on Miami wing Jaime Jaquez Jr. throughout the match.

“Nick Nurse says he brought Paul George off the bench in the third quarter to try to match his playing time with Jaime Jacquez because he thought George did the best job defending him,” Bodner wrote.

As Paul George, the 76ers played against the Heat

It was Nick Nourse’s reasonable explanation when it came to Paul George’s workload. However, the 76ers couldn’t defend their home court as they lost to the Heat 127-117.

Miami struck the first key blow, taking a 37-27 lead after the first quarter. Although Philadelphia cut the deficit to four at halftime, they folded down the stretch as they couldn’t contain the Heat’s offense.

Rebounding, ball movement and inside scoring made the difference in this matchup. The Heat prevailed in all three categories with 58 rebounds, 32 assists and 72 points. It wasn’t the same for the 76ers as they grabbed 46 rebounds, dished out 28 assists and scored 52 points.

Six players scored in double figures in Philadelphia’s loss, including George. Tyrese Maxey led the way with 27 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals. He shot 10-of-23 overall, including 5-of-14 from downtown. Next is Trendon Watford with 19 points and eight rebounds, Quentin Grimes 15 points and three assists, Jared McCain 15 points and two assists, while Andre Drummond recorded 14 points and 24 rebounds.

Philadelphia fell to 9-7 on the season, holding onto eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are tied with the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls while trailing the New York Knicks by 0.5 games.

The 76ers will look to bounce back in their next game, staying at home. They host the Orlando Magic on November 25th at 8pm ET in the group stage of the NBA Cup.