The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics in Game 6 by 13 points and have now officially flipped this series completely on its head.
The 76ers were down 3-1 and written off by everyone. Now they are heading back to TD Garden for a Game 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight, and the city of Philadelphia is buzzing. There is just one problem that surfaced this afternoon.
Paul George has landed on the injury report, and for a team that needs every weapon available in a winner-take-all game, the timing is far from ideal.
What Is Paul George’s Status For Game 7?
The Sixers downgraded George to probable at 1:00 PM ET on Saturday due to an illness. Probable means he is expected to play, and given that it is a Game 7 on the road, there is almost no scenario where George sits this one out voluntarily. He logged 40 minutes in Game 6 and looked completely locked in.
Sixers say Paul George is PROBABLE for Game 7 with an illness.
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) May 2, 2026
What makes the update more meaningful is the kind of series George has put together. After signing with Philadelphia last offseason specifically to be the third star alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, he has lived up to every bit of that hype when it has mattered most.
His series averages stand at 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 54.3 percent from three, which is a number that does not even look real. But it is, and it has been a nightmare for Boston to account for.
Game 6 in particular was one of the best two-way performances of his career in a Sixers jersey. He scored 23 points on 8-of-17 shooting, went 5-of-9 from three, grabbed four rebounds, dished three assists, blocked two shots, and picked up a steal in 40 minutes on the floor.
His defense has been just as impactful as his offense. George has drawn the toughest matchup assignments in this series, spending significant stretches guarding both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and he has made life difficult for both.
Tonight is also George’s 36th birthday, which adds a layer to the story that writes itself. If the Sixers manage to pull off what would be one of the more stunning first-round upsets in recent playoff history, he will have done it on his birthday while battling an illness.
Maxey has been producing at an All-Star level in the 40-minute range every single game. And George, illness or not, has been the kind of third star this franchise spent years searching for. The 76ers have never come back from a 3-1 series deficit. Tonight could be the night they change that.
