Paul George's second-half surge and other things we learned in the 76ers' 157-137 blowout win vs. Bulls

Gabriela Carroll, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Mar 25, 2026

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PHILADELPHIA — With Paul George and Joel Embiid back in the lineup, the Sixers dominated the Chicago Bulls in a 157-137 win, the most points they’ve scored in a game since 1970.

Here are three things we learned from the Sixers’ healthiest lineup in a long time:

George starts slow in return

Before Wednesday’s game, George said he expected to feel some rust in his first game back. It was noticeable in his first stint on the court. George missed both of his 3-point attempts to start the first quarter. He didn’t fare much better to start the second quarter, either. But after coming back in with two minutes to play in the half, George finally made his first 3-point attempt of the game in the final seconds of the second quarter.

That 3-pointer was a sign of better things to come in the second half. One of George’s best plays of the third quarter started with his steal and the possession ended with him sinking a deep 3.

“I think I was just rushing,” George said of his first half performance. “Rushing shots, in the second half, I had the mindset to just take my time. I was getting good looks, so just get into a flow, take what’s available, and just keep shooting.”

After shooting 2 for 10 in the first half, George was much better in the second, and looked more comfortable with his shot both from the mid-range and 3-point line. He shot 9 for 12 in the second half.

George’s teammates, led by VJ Edgecombe, encouraged him from the bench to let it fly in the fourth quarter, and after George made three shots in a row, capped off with a three, they embraced him at mid-court heading into a timeout. George finished with 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting.

Edwards is carving out a rotation spot

Justin Edwards was the first guy in off the bench in George’s forward spot. When George and Kelly Oubre Jr. were both out, Edwards played some of the best basketball of his career, scoring a career-high 32 points in a win against the Sacramento Kings last week.

“He’s a floor-spacer and a shotmaker, and he works hard on defense,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said postgame. “He was out there picking guys up at halfcourt. The stints are going to be a little shorter, but they’re really valuable, that he can come in and get some shots in and keep the floor spaced.”

Nurse said pregame that he wants to use George as much as possible down the stretch, but the Sixers still found 14 minutes for Edwards in the first three quarters, who responded by scoring 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

He didn’t come up with any rebounds and did not play in the fourth quarter with the Sixers leading the Bulls by 30 points.

Edgecombe’s efficient night

Edgecombe came into his own as a top offensive option with all of the Sixers’ injuries, showcasing his aggressiveness downhill and becoming a true point guard. But with George and Embiid both back in the lineup, Edgecombe knew he wouldn’t have the opportunity to take over 20 shots a game, like he did in his 35-point performance against Oklahoma City on Monday.

But he showed just how effective he can be playing alongside the Sixers’ other stars, and his growth since the beginning of the year.

“I thought he took some shots that he normally doesn’t take when Joel’s out there,” Nurse said. “I asked him to do that before the game, I was like ‘Push it ahead, attack the rim, come off screens with some space, you have to vault up there and take them.’ You can’t be throwing it back every single time.”

Edgecombe finished with 22 points and six assists on 7-for-9 shooting (and 4 for 5 from 3) in 30 minutes before sitting the fourth quarter with the rest of the Sixers’ starters.

Playing with Embiid and George on the floor takes away some of the offensive opportunity for Edgecombe, but it also allows him more space and easier defensive coverages.

“I’m still going to be aggressive. I’ll still be the same person,” Edgecombe said. “It’s going to be a little easier, if you think about it, with Joel on the floor, because he requires so much attention and so much gravity, but I’m just trying to make the right play.”

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