76ers disastrous start reaches critical mass with another Paul George injury scare

The Philadelphia 76ers can't catch a break.

There was... muted anticipation for Wednesday's showdown with the Memphis Grizzlies. Tyrese Maxey was slated to make his return from a hamstring injury, meaning the Sixers would finally have their entire 'big three' — Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Maxey — on the floor at the same time. With red-hot rookie Jared McCain joining the starting lineup, Philadelphia finally appeared ready to compete.

Well, the Sixers wound up down 10 at halftime, once again falling victim to poor defensive execution, ice-cold shooting, and woefully underperforming stars. Embiid put together his best half of the campaign and McCain was up to his usually high standards, but Paul George finished the first half with two points on 1-of-6 shooting.

As if it couldn't get worse, the second half started in disastrous fashion. Attempting to secure a rebound early in the third quarter, George appeared to tweak his left knee before heading to the locker room. Thankfully, he walked off under his own power.

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Paul George appears to hurt knee as 76ers struggle against Grizzlies

George missed the first five games of the campaign due to a bone bruise he suffered in his left knee during the preseason. He has also missed a sixth game for injury management purposes — A.K.A., he didn't play on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Sixers have been operating with extreme caution regarding the health of their stars, but as the basketball gods so often remind us, anything can and will happen on the court. Few teams are more familiar with the cruelty of bad luck than Philadelphia.

Officially diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee, it was announced midway through the fourth quarter that George will not return to the game.

It's unclear if George will miss any extended time due to this injury, but it certainly does not raise the spirits around this team. It has been the season from hell for Philadelphia, from an onslaught of injuries, to a Joel Embiid suspension, to a recent team meeting that brought bubbling tensions in the locker room to the surface.

The Sixers need to get healthy and to get connected. Every action feels disjointed on offense, and it's clear this defense is not operating as cohesively as it needs to. Philadelphia has more than enough talent to contend in a weak Eastern Conference, but talent means nothing if the players aren't comfortable with each other.

Health, obviously, is another key factor. Embiid and George are already expected to miss back-to-backs all season. The margin for error with this team is slim, and if George is forced to miss time — or if he's operating at less than 100 percent — that could put the final nail in the Sixers' coffin.