76ers’ Paul George gets major credit from Nick Nurse after Game 6 win vs. Celtics

The Philadelphia 76ers are refusing to go quietly. With their backs against the wall and their playoff lives on the line, the Sixers marched onto their home floor Thursday night and delivered a statement 106-93 victory over the Boston Celtics to force a decisive Game 7.

While Tyrese Maxey caught fire for 30 points and Joel Embiid flirted with a triple-double, it was Paul George who served as the stabilizing two-way force Philadelphia desperately needed. When the front office signed him to a blockbuster deal, these grueling postseason battles were exactly what they had in mind.

George stepped up under the bright lights, dropping 23 points on a highly efficient 5 of 9 shooting from beyond the arc. He added four rebounds and three assists while logging 40 grueling minutes. But his biggest impact didn’t entirely show up in the box score. George drew the exhausting assignment of hounding Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown all night, ensuring Boston’s star duo had to bleed for every single point they put on the board.

Head coach Nick Nurse made sure to give his veteran wing his flowers after the massive win.

“He was great. I’ve been saying it the whole series,” Nurse said, according to a post on X by Sixers beat writer Derek Bodner. “He’s been just excellent on defense, the entire game. Those two guys are great wings and he has to battle them every possession. They’re scoring, but he’s making them really work for it, and he’s getting more confident every game at the offensive end.”