Eastern Notes: George, Rondo, Heat, Thompson

The Sixers only got six total points from their reserves on Thursday, but an impressive all-around performance from their starters, each of whom scored at least 14 points, helped them secure a victory that will send the series back to Boston for a Game 7 on Saturday.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 30 points and Joel Embiid nearly had a triple-double (19 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists). But the team also benefited from a big game third star Paul George, who scored 23 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. George fueled a defensive effort that limited Boston to 41.9% shooting on the night.

As Dan Gelston of The Associated Press writes, George referred to his first season in Philadelphia as “rock bottom.” He was limited to 41 games in 2024/25 due to injuries and the team registered just 24 wins after giving him a four-year, maximum-salary contract. While George only made 37 appearances in ’25/26, that was largely due to a 25-game suspension that served as an extended recovery period for his knee issues and resulted in something of a “physical rebirth,” Gelston notes.

“I’m finally enjoying it now that I’m able to do things I was once able to do again,” George said. “It’s fun again. It’s like seeing who I am again. How can I be relevant again? How can I chase some of the things I was doing in my past? … Before the suspension, I was kind of saving myself for games because of the soreness and I wanted to be as fresh as possible going into the games. Now, I can focus on basketball.”

“Once he came back from his 25 games, he had a mission,” Maxey said of his veteran teammate. “I think he’s been accomplishing that mission.”

We have more from around the Eastern Conference:

• With reports linking Rajon Rondo to New Orleans’ head coaching vacancy, Eric Nehm of The Athletic explores how Rondo’s two years as a coaching associate with the Bucks have helped prepare him for a larger coaching role. Rondo, who worked closely with breakout guard Ryan Rollins in Milwaukee, told Nehm that he believes he’s ready to coach a team. “I know I can do it now,” Rondo said. “I have the discipline, preparation and, obviously, it’s about having the right people around you. I feel like I know who I am, and I know the people I can trust in this business for the most part. I’ve had a lot of great mentors, a lot of people rooting for me. I definitely think I’ll be ready to go.”
• Given how few top players have reached unrestricted free agency in recent years, carving out significant cap room isn’t as advantageous as it once was for would-be contenders. Still, Heat president Pat Riley said during his annual postseason media session that his team is planning on opening up cap space in 2027. Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald relays Riley’s comments and breaks down what they mean for the club’s approach over the next 12 months, noting that extensions or multiyear deals for Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, and Norman Powell seem unlikely.
• Cade Cunningham led the way with his 45 points, but Ausar Thompson was the Pistons‘ “silent hero” in Wednesday’s Game 5 win, writes Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News. Thompson, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, scored just six points but racked up 15 rebounds, six assists, five steals, and two blocks, all team highs. “Ausar is awesome. He understands how to impact the game,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “What stands out is that he sacrifices himself every single night to do whatever the team needs from him. He has taken on tough defensive assignments. Not to mention his ability to get deflections, get steals and create chaos out there.”