Paul George faced a chorus of boos during his return to Los Angeles on Wednesday night, marking his first appearance since departing the Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers last summer.
As he was introduced at the Intuit Dome, the Clippers’ new arena, a noticeable number of fans expressed their displeasure. Each time he touched the ball in the early moments of the game, the crowd reacted vocally, but George quickly silenced the critics by sinking consecutive 3-pointers, bringing the Sixers to an early tie.
“Boo him tonight and love him afterwards,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue remarked before the game, hinting at the complex relationship between George and the fans.
This game marked just his second outing of the season, having missed time due to a left knee injury. He had previously scored 15 points in 32 minutes during the Sixers’ narrow 118-116 loss to Phoenix on Monday.
In a moment of recognition, the Clippers played a tribute video for George on the large halo board above the court late in the first quarter. He waved in acknowledgment as the crowd offered a respectful round of applause.
“He’s a special talent,” Lue commented. “He’s seen everything, seen every defense.”
During his five seasons with the Clippers, George, a native of nearby Palmdale, played a key role in leading the team to its first-ever Western Conference Finals appearance. However, the team faced disappointment in the playoffs, being eliminated in the first round the last two seasons.
After opting out of his $48 million player option with the Clippers, George was drawn to Philadelphia to join forces with Joel Embiid. Unfortunately, his season has been marred by injury, and he is currently serving a three-game suspension for an incident involving a Philadelphia sports columnist.
The Clippers, starting the season with a 3-4 record, are struggling to gain traction and attract fans to their new venue.
One passionate fan even held up a sign pleading, “Paul G, Please Come Back.” The Clippers are currently without Kawhi Leonard, who has yet to take the court this season while recovering from knee surgery. With George’s departure and Russell Westbrook’s exit, the team’s once-prominent Big Four is now reduced to Leonard and James Harden.
