76ers' Paul George reacts to boos in return to face Clippers
INGLEWOOD, CA — The NBA didn't wait long to schedule one of the more anticipated games of the season. Paul George and the Philadelphia 76ers made their lone visit to Los Angeles , where they took on James Harden and the Clippers' Wall.
The Clippers came out on top, defeated in the Sixers, 110-98. The franchise's second win at home comes against the former Clippers star, who called the fan reactions to his return, "fair" and, "mixed."
Paul George gets booed in Clippers return and responds
After five years with the Clippers, the franchise elected to let him walk in free agency, where he signed a four-year, $212 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. George, who turned down a three-year, $150 million contract offer similar to that of Kawhi Leonard's, then made comments on his podcast that rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way.
Paul George was booed when the Sixers ran out of the tunnel to take the court. George was then booed when he was introduced in the Sixers starting lineup. And then George proceeded to be booed whenever he touched the ball throughout the night.
Strangely enough, George was also cheered on whenever he made one of his seven buckets that led to 18 points on the night.
"It was fair, I guess. There was some cheers . There were some boos. I think it was kind of split down the middle."
George played only 23 minutes in his return due to his return from injury and the blowout nature of the game. The Clippers led by as many as 22 in the second half and led by no fewer than 14 points in the fourth quarter.
"The emotions, they were high, my emotions were high," Paul George said after the Sixers' loss. "It was obviously a lot of love, a lot of family within this organization, so it was emotional. Anytime I tried to lock in and get prepared, I look over and see someone that I knew. Instantly, it took me out of that mindset of getting prepared and then I try to lock back in and there as another person. So those moments, it makes it difficult kind of just to get preparation down, but outside of that I try to just play, keep everything within that rectangle."
The Clippers played a tribute video for Paul George during the first timeout in which he received a loud ovation from fans.
"It was awesome," George said of the video. "I've always said this organization was first class and it was very appreciated."
As for the boos that he received, however, the 76ers star said he didn't really understand why.
"I mean, it is stupid," George said when asked if the boos bothered him. "I mean, I was a free agent, you know what I mean? I was a free agent. It wasn't something that I demanded a trade or went against the team here. I was a free agent. The team presented something that was team friendly and I did what was best for me in that situation."
Paul George and his podcast co-hosts spent the better part of his departure from the Clippers talking about all the things wrong with them. George called it, "playing for the B Team" in Los Angeles and one of his co-hosts spent the morning after George's free agency decision trash-talking Clippers fans on social media.
"There were the cheers, I appreciate them. Those were the ones that I played hard for. The boos, I didn't get it. I still don't get it when I go to Indy, but it is what it is. It's sports. That's what's in sports. So yeah, I look forward to next year being back here and more boos."
Aside from the multiple game-winners and clutch shots he hit throughout his tenure, the highlight of George's time with the Clippers comes from 2021. With Kawhi Leonard suffering the torn ACL against the Utah Jazz, George helped lead the team past Utah to the Conference Finals and gave the Phoenix Suns a strong push.
To no one's surprise, that's also Paul George's favorite moment with the Clippers.
"I think just that 2021 run we had that will always be special just with the group that was here, the run that we had and I think doing up to this point where what the franchise hasn't done yet and so that year was very special obviously hopefully could have changed if 'whi he doesn't get injured, who knows what that year would've finished like."
The Clippers will visit the Philadelphia 76ers in a few weeks, on November 24th. James Harden, who took the brunt of the boos last year, is sure to receive a lot of the same after forcing a trade out of Philly last season. That will complete their two games against the Sixers, and both teams will likely be happy to get those games out of the way.
