Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid dunks during the first half of their game against the Clippers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard shoots as Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris drives as Clippers forward Nicolas Batum defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers guard Paul George looks to pass as Philadelphia 76ers guard De’Anthony Melton defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard shoots as the Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard dunks during the first half of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers forward Robert Covington, right, fouls Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac dunks during the first half of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey shoots as Clippers forward Nicolas Batum defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Clippers’ Norman Powell controls the ball as Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, right, defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Philadelphia 76ers guard Shake Milton shoots as Clippers guard Paul George defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia 76ers guard De’Anthony Melton, left, forward Tobias Harris, center, and guard James Harden celebrate after a basket during the first half of their game against the Clippers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers guard Paul George dunks during the first half of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers star Paul George runs up the court during the first half of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Philadelphia 76ers guard De’Anthony Melton shoots during the first half of their game against the Clippers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, blocks a shot by Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Clippers’ Paul George handles the ball as the Philadelphia 76ers’ De’Anthony Melton defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden handles the ball as Clippers guard Terance Mann defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid shoots during the first half of their game against the Clippers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid celebrates after making a basket during the first half of their game against the Clippers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Clippers’ Paul George handles the ball as the Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Terance Mann shoots as Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers center Joel Embiid drives against Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac shoots as Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, left, defends against Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers guard Paul George handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia 76ers center Montrezl Harrell goes up for a shot as Clippers guard Paul George defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers guard Reggie Jackson shoots as Philadelphia 76ers center Montrezl Harrell defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers center Joel Embiid takes a shot as Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Paul George drives as Philadelphia 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden drives as Clippers guard Terance Mann defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers forward Norman Powell, right, defends against Philadelphia 76ers forward Georges Niang during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, left, and Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden reach for a loose ball during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, left, and Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden collide after reaching for a loose ball during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers center Moses Brown dunks during the second half of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden takes a shot as Clippers forward Nicolas Batum defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Paul George handles the ball as the Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers center Ivica Zubac, right, shoots during the first half of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey shoots in front of Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Paul George, center, grabs the ball away from the Philadelphia 76ers’ Georges Niang during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Clippers guard Paul George walks on the court during the second half of their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clippers center Joel Embiid takes a shot in front of Clippers center Ivica Zubac during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden, left, and center Joel Embiid high-five after returning to the bench during the second half of their game against the Clippers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
LOS ANGELES — It had been nearly two weeks since Paul George donned a Clippers uniform, 12 days without playing in a game. At times, it has felt longer than that for a team that has struggled to find consistency in their lineups.
But the seven-time All-Star was back on the court on Tuesday night for the first time since tweaking his right hamstring on Jan. 5, an injury that had already sidelined him for five games earlier this season.
“It’s just good to have PG back,” a smiling Coach Tyronn Lue said. “I would rather have PG in the lineup even if he hasn’t played than not play at all. I’m very excited about that.”
Lue’s excitement, however, was tempered by a missed opportunity to string together a couple of victories. Joel Embiid scored 41 points and the Philadelphia 76ers subdued the Clippers in the fourth quarter, sending the hosts to a 120-110 defeat – their eighth loss in the past 10 games.
“I thought we did some good things,” Lue said. “We just got to be disciplined as far as taking care of the basketball. You can’t have 19 turnovers against a good team and expect to win. And so that hurt us.”
Still, having George back in the starting lineup gave the Clippers an initial boost and they kept pace with the Sixers for the first quarter.
George’s first play was a defensive rebound. His first basket was a pull-up jumper. He made three of four shots before taking a seat after seven minutes and no one was happier than Lue who watched as his two biggest stars took the court for just the 16th time this season.
Kawhi Leonard, who has stayed injury-free while George has been nursing his hamstring, has carried much of the load in the forward’s absence, averaging 26.2 points per game. He led the Clippers again on Tuesday with 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting to go with four rebounds.
Together, though, the two worked to get the team back into the game, combining for 10 points during a three-minute stretch in the third quarter that trimmed the Sixers’ 14-point lead to one at 70-69.
“You know, his first game back so he still has to get in the rhythm of playing again, get his legs under him, but it was fun to have him back out there,” Leonard said of George.
George came out at the 4:54 mark of the third, but Leonard kept pushing the pace and the Clippers took their first lead on a layup by center Ivica Zubac. Leonard broke free for a 3-pointer to give the Clippers their largest lead to that point at 84-81 with 2:43 remaining in the third.
The 76ers eventually regained the lead at 90-89 at the end of the third and never relinquished it. After getting outscored 37-27 in the third, the Sixers dominated the fourth, outscoring the hosts 30-21.
Maxey carried the 76ers early with Embiid resting. He hit three consecutive 3-pointers and had a pair of free throws to extend the 76ers’ lead to 101-93. The Sixers ran off 11 in a row, including four by Embiid and a 3-pointer by Georges Niang, to extend their lead to 115-98, quieting the feel-good moments of the night for the Clippers’ coaches, players and fans.
Embiid – who had 35 points and 11 rebounds in a win against the Lakers on Sunday – dissected the Clippers’ defense on 12-for-20 shooting from the field and a 15-of-18 showing from the free-throw line to go with his nine rebounds. Tyrese Maxey added 22 points off the bench and Tobias Harris 20.
Whether it was having George back in the lineup or not, the Clippers’ offense at times went stagnant and turnovers crept back in. They had 10 at the half and 19 overall, leading to 24 points.
Clippers praise Terance Mann’s energy and athleticism
“I thought we did some good things tonight, outside of just taking care of the basketball – 19 turnovers for 24 points is tough when you want to beat a really good team like that,” Lue said. “So, that’s been our Achilles heel all year.”
George finished with 13 points and eight rebounds in 29 minutes, numbers that didn’t surprise Lue. He expected him to “be a little rusty” offensively.
“He had some turnovers he wouldn’t normally have,” Lue said. “Just getting him back on the floor was a positive thing for us.”
Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers, who coached the Clippers from 2013-20, knows what Lue has gone through with this season’s injuries and uncertainty surrounding Leonard and George.
“I think PG and Kawhi had two practices (together) my entire time here,” Rivers said. “But now, they have been through playoff wars. They at least have had that, but it’s still disrupting.
“It’s hard, you know, it’s just so tough. … You just need games in a row.”
