Sixers’ George out at least 2 games with bone bruise in knee

Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George has a bone bruise in his left knee, and the team said Thursday he will miss at least two games.

According to the 76ers, an MRI showed no structural damage in George’s knee. He will miss a pair of home games — Friday against the Brooklyn Nets and Sunday against his former team, the LA Clippers — and will then be reevaluated Monday.

George hurt his knee early in the second half of Wednesday night’s 117-111 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies and did not return. It was the same knee that George hyperextended in the preseason, forcing him to miss the first five games of the regular season.

The injury marked the latest setback for the Sixers, who had stars George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey together in the starting lineup for the first time in Memphis. Maxey was back in action after a six game absence due to a hamstring injury.

George had just two points on 1-of-6 shooting with four rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes. Maxey also struggled from the floor, shooting 3-of-13 for eight points.

“Look, it’s definitely not easy,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said after the Grizzlies game. “Tyrese just came back and didn’t really have a feeling tonight and Paul went out. Certainly not easy … but we didn’t put enough back together for 48.”