INGLEWOOD — Homecomings usually are full of warm welcomes, fond appreciation and admiration. Not, however, if your initials are PG. There was little love from the fans on Wednesday night at Intuit Dome as Paul George returned to town for the first time to face the Clippers, the team he spent five seasons with before moving east as a free agent this summer.
But there wasn’t much love for a player who spent five seasons hitting memorable game-winning shots and helping lead the Clippers to their first Western Conference finals in 2021. Apparently, the only thing the fans remembered was how the nine-time All-Star shunned an extension offer from the Clippers and signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in the offseason. They showed their feelings quickly, booing as soon as George got the ball off the opening tip.
He brought the ball up the court a few minutes later and was booed a bit more heartily. In fact, every time he touched the ball, the sparse crowd at Intuit Dome booed. Even when his tribute video, highlighting many of his on- and off-court contributions to the team and community, ended, some fans cheered; most booed.
Still others held signs suggesting the Palmdale native play more and talk less, a shot at his “Podcast P” program. “Boo him tonight and love him afterwards,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before the game. Through it all, George played on.
In his second game this season, the guard had 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting and seven rebounds in a 110-98 loss to a.