Paul George’s suspension for violating the NBA’s drug policy came as a shock, but some were also amused by the timing of the ban.
George was hit with a 25-game suspension for a violation of the league’s Anti-Drug policy on Saturday, which the 76ers forward blamed on a drug he took for a mental health issue. Social media was quick to note, however, that the suspension came shortly after one of George’s best games of the season.
George scored 32 points and made a season-high nine threes during a 139-122 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. The fact that such a vintage performance was followed by a drug-related suspension led many to joke that the NBA quickly investigated George following his explosive showing.
League saw Paul George do this in 2026 and said wait a minute https://t.co/W7ZbXnQvjH pic.twitter.com/8fl9n54bIM
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) January 31, 2026
Adam Silver saw Paul George do this & yelled DRUGS https://t.co/6BOryfP7ZH pic.twitter.com/CO8aXX9HVO
— Trap (@ThunderUpSZN) January 31, 2026
Paul George dropped 30 ONCE and the league knew it was bs https://t.co/4Fm5b0QowQ pic.twitter.com/dh4faFqNrJ
— 𝕱𝖊𝖗𝖗𝖊𝖙 𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖓 (@ferretallen) January 31, 2026
league saw paul george hit 9 3’s and investigated him immediately lmao damn
— vance (@_vancethomas) January 31, 2026
well that explains the 32 point game from paul george
— parrish hates jazz (@PKnox_16) January 31, 2026
Presumably, it took more than 72 hours for the league to process George’s drug test and make a decision on a suspension, so these two events are not linked together. The coincidental timing certainly made for some easy jokes, though.
George’s suspension comes during a season where his numbers are down across the board. He is averaging 16.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in 27 appearances this season, a far cry from the kinds of numbers he put up during his prime years. Staying healthy has been a challenge for him as well, making performances like Tuesday’s even rarer.
George will be eligible to return to action on March 25. The 76ers will have to hold their own in the Eastern Conference playoff race until then.
