Paul George returned to Los Angeles on Wednesday for the first time since leaving the Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency last offseason. He did not receive a warm welcome.
Fans inside the Intuit Dome greeted the nine-time All-Star with a smattering of boos as he took the field, and continued to do so as the game started.
Paul George sucks up the Clippers’ entire sideline and Zu before opening tip
He then throws Kelly Oubre Jr. out of bounds in the corner as he is booed pic.twitter.com/9HpAVPhKpk
— Law Murray 🕯️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) November 7, 2024
The Wall of Clippers fans on one side of the arena also let out a “PG sucks” chant.
George didn’t make his Sixers debut until Monday after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee in the preseason. He had 15 points, five assists and four rebounds but shot just 1-for-7 from behind the arc in their two-point loss to the Phoenix Suns, but he appeared to be back at full strength after missing the first five games of the season missed.
George finished with 18 points and seven rebounds while shooting 7-for-9 from the field in the 76ers’ 110-97 loss to the Clippers on Wednesday. Norm Powell led the Clippers with 26 points while draining six 3-pointers. The Clippers, who are now 4-4 on the year, outscored the 76ers 33-17 in the third quarter to advance to their 12-point win.
The 76ers have now lost four straight and have just a 1-6 record on the season.
Paul George has no hard feelings toward the Clippers
Before Wednesday night’s game, George reflected on his time with the organization and their failed contract negotiations – which, he now admits, was a bit shocking.
His relationship with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and the rest of the team’s front office never soured. Yet, he still opted to sign a four-year, $212 million contract with the 76ers in free agency.
“I think it’s been a little bit misinterpreted or… [the] The story was not written correctly regarding the relationship with [president] Laurens [Frank]the relationship with Steve Ballmer,” George said before the game, via ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “I mean, they were great the whole time I was here.
“That’s kind of why it was such a shocking decision how it turned out in the end. But they were great. My time here, I think it’s been quite refreshing to be alongside them and have that kind of partnership with a front office. And so I think that was probably the highlight of the whole thing [time with the Clippers]. How great they were during my tenure here.”
George spent five seasons with the Clippers, who traded for him prior to the 2019-20 season. Although George shined during his time with the organization, the team reached the conference finals only once and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs each of the past two years.
George and the Clippers initially discussed a three-year extension — the same deal Kawhi Leonard got — but negotiations stalled during the season. After that year, when the two sides sat down again, George wanted either a four-year maximum offer or a no-trade clause.
Ultimately, the Clippers and George went their separate ways. The deal, which would have kept George in his hometown and playing alongside Leonard and James Harden, fell apart.
“Paul clearly thought this was the right choice for him [to leave]. I will miss him,” Ballmer said via ESPN. “Very good person. Like him a lot, except when they play against us. Wish him all the best, just not when they play against us. And he was a good Clipper.
