Tyrese Maxey scored a game-high 31 points, but George finished with nine points on 3-for-11 shooting. He missed the last five games after spraining a ligament in his left pinkie on Jan. 25.

Paul George did not have his best in his return from a five-game absence, and the Sixers fell to a Miami Heat team which has finally moved Jimmy Butler.

Although the Sixers initially cast doubt about George’s playing status once again, he saw an upgrade a little less than two hours before the game was set to tip. Now, George is cleared for action. Lately,