Skip Bayless blasts 76ers’ Paul George with new playoff nickname

Without Joel Embiid for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal clash against the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers needed everybody in their already-depleted rotation to step up. That included two-way wing Paul George, who’s seen his reputation undergo a bit of a rehabilitation amid his incredible defensive play and consistent offensive production for the 76ers in this year’s playoffs.

However, George’s fourth-quarter performance in the 76ers’ 108-102 Game 2 loss against the Knicks may have just undone all his hard work. Entering the fourth quarter, with Philly still leading by one, 90-89, George was in the middle of a good game, scoring 17 points on an efficient 7-13 shooting from the field. He then proceeded to build a house with all the bricks he threw up, going 0-5, including an airball three-pointer in the dying embers of the game, to seal the 76ers’ defeat.

George’s misses were especially backbreaking, as the 76ers’ offense had gone cold, Tyrese Maxey had been struggling, and the team needed someone to bail them out. George couldn’t, and now, he’s back to being a laughingstock on social media — with Skip Bayless tweeting out a twist on one of the 76ers veteran’s old nicknames.

“Playoff Pee,” Bayless wrote on his official account on X (formerly Twitter).

The jokes on social media are back for George, especially with Mike Breen yelling out “way off” after the 76ers veteran missed a brutal three in crunch time with Philly down by six. George did miss some very makeable shots, but the Knicks’ defense deserves credit for making life difficult for the 36-year-old.

At the very least, every 76ers fan will credit George for being excellent on defense once more. He took on the Karl-Anthony Towns matchup in the fourth and even protected the rim on multiple occasions. However, the standards for him have to be much higher especially amid Embiid’s injury, and the 76ers’ season might depend on him come Game 3 so he better be prepared to step up and take on the challenge.