Following a lengthy suspension, Paul George returns to the court Wednesday when the Philadelphia 76ers host the Chicago Bulls.

Philadelphia (39-33) is looking to avoid the play-in tournament, but it has been a challenge playing without many of its key weapons in recent weeks. In addition to injuries to Joel Embiid (oblique) and Tyrese Maxey (finger), among others, the team has played its last 25 games without George.

The veteran forward was suspended Jan. 31 for taking “improper medication,” but that ban ended with Monday’s 123-103 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. George is expected to be in the starting lineup Wednesday, with no minutes restriction, for an important contest against Chicago.

The Sixers entered Tuesday in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, the first spot in the play-in tournament.

“I think they’ve done a decent job of hanging in there,” said Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse, whose team went 13-12 without George. “I think it just shows you how fast 25 games goes in this league sometimes. It’s hard to believe it’s over with already.”

The players certainly are excited to welcome back George, who averages 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 27 games (all starts) in 2025-26.

“It’s Paul George, man,” said rookie guard VJ Edgecombe. “He’s elite. He’s one of the smoothest players to ever touch a basketball. He’s a two-way player at that, so for him to get back on the floor means a lot.”

Edgecombe has been tasked with holding down the fort while George, Maxey and Embiid have been sidelined simultaneously. He made a career-high seven 3-pointers and scored 35 points in the loss to the Thunder and has averaged 31.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists over the last three games.

“He’s got a pretty good command of the team right now,” Nurse said. “As far as getting us organized, and as far as playing with great leadership, he’s leading by example a lot.”

Meanwhile, Collin Sexton has emerged as a leader for a Bulls team likely headed for the draft lottery. The veteran point guard supplied 25 points in Monday’s 132-124 triumph over the Houston Rockets — just Chicago’s second win in the last six games.

“I wanted to bring the juice and the energy — that’s all I was thinking about these last couple (of games),” Sexton said.

Matas Buzelis chipped in with 23 points against Houston. He shot 5 of 9 from 3-point range, leading a crisp long-range performance by the Bulls, who made half of their 38 attempts from beyond the arc.

Chicago (29-42) likely faces an insurmountable climb to the play-in tournament with only 11 games remaining, but Buzelis continues to prove he’s a key piece of its future.

“Win every game. Play-in or not. Playoffs or not,” said Buzelis, who is averaging 21.6 points and 6.6 rebounds this month. “(We’re) trying to win every game.”

That mindset certainly jives with the ultra-competitive Sexton, who has contributed 16.1 points in 15 games since joining Chicago in a midseason trade with the Utah Jazz.

“Stay hungry. Stay hungry,” Sexton said. “Don’t worry about the summer. Continue to (take things) one game at a time, one day at a time.”

This is the teams’ third and final meeting this season. The Bulls have captured the first two matchups, both in Chicago.

Embiid is listed as questionable for the contest.

–Field Level Media

After 13 seasons in charge at Alabama, women’s basketball head coach Kristy Curry is leaving for the same job at South Florida.

Both schools announced the move Tuesday, with South Florida CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins calling Curry “a proven winner at the highest levels.”

“She has guided her teams to the NCAA championship game and built an exceptional resume that includes 16 20-win seasons and 21 postseason appearances over 27 years as a head coach,” Higgins said in a statement. “I’m incredibly excited about the future of South Florida women’s basketball under her leadership.”

Curry, 59, has spent her entire head-coaching career at high-major schools — Purdue (1999-2006), Texas Tech (2006-13) and Alabama — so the choice to move to the American Conference program is surprising.

However, Jose Fernandez built the Bulls into a frequent NCAA Tournament team in his 25-year career there before he took over the WNBA’s Dallas Wings in 2025. Michele Woods-Baxter served as the temporary head coach in 2025-26; the Bulls went 20-12 (13-5 American) but missed the tournament.

“I would like to thank Rob Higgins for the tremendous opportunity to lead a proud South Florida women’s basketball program,” Curry said in a statement. “A strong foundation is in place, and I look forward to building on it as we pursue conference championships and NCAA Tournament success. Rob and the University’s commitment to competing at the highest level–along with the clear vision and alignment at USF–are truly exceptional. I can’t wait to meet Bulls Nation and experience a rocking Yuengling Center.”

Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne thanked Curry for doing “a commendable job” in a statement Tuesday.

“We appreciated her contributions and wish her and her family well moving forward,” Byrne said. “As we begin a national search for our next head coach, Alabama athletics remains committed to the continued growth and investment in women’s basketball.”

The Crimson Tide qualified for each of the last four NCAA Tournaments and advanced to the second round in three straight years. As a sixth seed, the team’s season ended Monday with a narrow 69-68 loss to third-seeded Louisville in the Round of 32.

Alabama (24-11, 7-9 SEC) also received a ranking in the AP Top 25 poll for the second straight year, coming in as high as No. 21. Before Curry, the program had not done so since 1998-99.

Curry is 554-322 as a head coach all-time. She took Purdue to the Final Four in 2001 and beat Missouri State before falling 68-66 to Notre Dame in the title game.

–Field Level Media

Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody’s season is over after he tore the patellar tendon in his left knee on a noncontact play against the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN reported on Tuesday.

Moody, 23, was injured while attempting a dunk in the Warriors’ 137-131 road victory on Monday night.

Golden State led 136-131 when Moody stole the ball from Cooper Flagg and headed for a clinching dunk with 1:09 to go in overtime. However, Moody had his left knee crumble beneath him as he attempted to elevate for the hoop, with the shot not reaching the rim. Moody had to be stretchered off the floor after the team’s medical staff attended to his left knee.

The Warriors said afterward that Moody, who had missed the previous 10 games with a sprained right wrist, would have an MRI on Tuesday. He finished with 23 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks in 34 minutes.

Moody this season averaged career bests of 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks and 25.7 minutes in 60 games (49 starts).

The Warriors (34-38) have 10 games remaining in the regular season. Through Monday, they are 10th in the Western Conference and have the final berth in the play-in tournament.

Golden State selected Moody in the first round (14th overall) in the 2021 NBA Draft.

For his career, Moody averages 8.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 18.3 minutes in 315 regular-season games (106 starts) for the Warriors since 2021. He also has started two of 37 postseason games, including playing 13 games as a rookie in a reserve role in Golden State’s run to the 2022 NBA championship.

He signed a three-year, $39 million contract extension before the start of this season.

–Field Level Media