“Oh yeah! he’s back”: Clippers fan allegedly taunts Paul George for bricking 3 vs former team
There were equal bouquets and brickbats when Paul George played his former team, the LA Clippers, at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday (Nov. 7). In addition to a wholesome welcome video by the Clippers, George also had to deal with a fair share of boos and taunts from LA fans as the Philadelphia 76ers went down 110-98.
Per Clippers reporter Tomer Azarly, one of the fans allegedly taunted the 8x NBA All-Star when one of his 3-point attempts hit the backboard and bounced off.
"Oh yeah! He's back," the fan yelled.
Earlier, boos rang out at the Intuit Dome each time George controlled the ball, including the time he jogged onto the floor pregame.
On the game front, George ended with 18 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Most of the 76ers stars failed to fire, with Kelly Oubre Jr. and Caleb Martin propping up 18 and 14 points each. For the Clippers, Norman Powell led with a game-high 26 points.
Paul George slams Clippers fans booing him: "I mean it's stupid"
Paul George didn't hold back when asked about the mixed reception he received at the Intuit Dome from fans of his former franchise.
"I mean it’s stupid. I was a free agent. It wasn’t something that I demanded a trade or went against the team... There were cheers. I appreciate them. Those were the ones I played hard for. The boos, I didn’t get it," he said.
George was one of the blockbuster trades that went down this summer. He inked a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with Philadelphia to form a new 'Big 3' alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
He spent the past five seasons in LA after being acquired in a July 2019 trade with the OKC Thunder. He was pitched on joining the Clippers by former teammate Kawhi Leonard, who signed with the team as a free agent in the same year. The two were expected to lead the Clippers to a title, but the best it resulted was playoff appearances.
Paul George and the 76ers have not had a solid start to their season and the recent loss puts them at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Their 1-6 run to start the season, sees them in 15th place, while the Milwaukee Bucks are 14th with the same record. Up next, they play the LA Lakers on Friday at the Crypto.com Arena before returning home for a three-game home stretch.