Paul George spoke after the Philadelphia 76ers‘ loss to the LA Clippers. Having been booed by the Clippers fanbase in the Intuit Dome, George slammed the fans for the ‘stupid’ booing, claiming that he didn’t treat the franchise poorly, and just chose to leave in free agency, rather than demanding a trade and creating a scene.
“I mean it’s stupid. I was a free agent. It wasn’t something that I demanded a trade or went against the team. They presented a team-friendly offer and I did what was best for me in that situation.”
“There were some cheers, I appreciate them, those are the ones I played hard for. There were boos, I didn’t get it, I still don’t get it when I go to Indy [Indiana] but it is what it is. It’s sports… Look forward to next year, being back here, and more boos.”
George also spoke about the new Intuit Dome that Clippers owner Steve Balmer had built so that the franchise wouldn’t have to share an arena with the Lakers. He praised the arena, especially the wall, despite proclaiming that he went 2-2 from the stripe when facing them, and congratulated Balmer on making the best arena in the NBA.
“It was great. I wish it would have been a little bit more packed out. I didn’t think it was quite packed for this to be Clippers’ very own. But the facilities are amazing, what [Steve] Balmer did and his vision, how it came to life. It’s the best arena to play in. I think I won the Wall, they gotta do a little better, but the idea of it is great.”
George went 2-2 from the free-throw line, with both his attempts coming in front of the famed Clippers’ wall, a side of the arena that is very steep and filled with fans. The fans had some interesting signs ready for George to try and get under his skin. But he was able to make his two shots in front of the toughest audience for free throws in the NBA.
So…Clippers fans aren’t feeling this PG reunion.
Backs turned, and a strong message in reference to his offseason comments. pic.twitter.com/YihsAoNoDg
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) November 7, 2024
George had a decent return game against the Clippers, with this being just his second official game in a 76ers jersey. George put up 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists, three steals, and one block, going 7-9 from the field, 2-3 from the three-point line, and 2-2 from the free-throw line.
George Bounces Back From Bad Debut
Paul George needed a performance like the one he had last night against the Clippers, especially after how poorly he played against the Phoenix Suns. George opened his 76ers account with 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, and one steal. George went 4-14 from the field, 1-7 from deep, and 6-7 from the stripe.
He spoke after his debut with the 76ers, calling it a bad performance. But he did state that this game allowed him to get a good sense of his health and his body, especially since he was coming off a difficult injury.
George has started the season off with just two games, where he averages 16.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. He is currently shooting 47.8% from the field, 30.0% from the three-point line, and 88.9% from the free-throw line.
If he can deliver similar performances for the Clippers throughout the season, and Joel Embiid can return to the franchise at a high level, the 76ers will be a competitive team in the tough Eastern Conference.
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