PHOENIX — Paul George was anticipated to make his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday evening against the Phoenix Suns after sitting out the initial five games of the season due to a knee injury.

The seasoned nine-time All-Star sustained an injury to his left knee during the preseason and was activated from the injury list just before the game.

“Based on what I’ve seen, he seems to be feeling good,” stated 76ers coach Nick Nurse prior to the matchup.

When questioned regarding any limitations on George’s playing time, Nurse commented, “It’s primarily about his conditioning, so we might keep his playing periods a bit shorter. We’ll evaluate how he’s doing at halftime.”

The 34-year-old George joined the 76ers after a successful five-year stint with the Los Angeles Clippers, signing a significant four-year, $212 million contract.

As for Joel Embiid, the 76ers center who has also been sidelined with a sore left knee, Nurse mentioned, “He’s showing some improvement and making progress.” The coach noted that the 7-foot tall center would undergo further evaluation on Tuesday. Philadelphia is set to play again on Wednesday night against the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Without the contributions of these two star players, the 76ers entered the game with a record of 1-4.