Paul George made his official return to Los Angeles on Wednesday night, as the 76ers fell to the Clippers, 110-98.
George was dealt to the Clippers before the start of the 2019-20 season as he was supposed to be a member of a new dynasty the organization was trying to build with Kawhi Leonard. He was a three-time All-Star with Los Angeles, but the Clippers never made the NBA Finals.
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Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George greets the crowd during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 6, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Before the 2024-25 season, George left the Clippers for new pastures. He signed a deal with the 76ers in hopes of plugging him in with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to elevate the team to the next level.
George’s appearance at the Intuit Dome on Wednesday was only the second game he has appeared in so far this season. He had 18 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes. The Clippers faithful booed him each time he touched the ball.
“It’s stupid,” he said of the booing. “I was a free agent. It wasn’t something that I demanded a trade or went against the team here. I did what was best for me in that situation.”
Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George sits on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
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George only played 24 minutes as Philadelphia fell to 1-6.
“He was getting a lot of attention, lots of double-teams,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “He had some good buckets and played some pretty good defense at times as well, but again, he’s still working his way back conditioning-wise.”
George had been dealing with a knee injury.
“They’re throwing a lot of stuff at me that I’m quite not ready for at this moment because I’m still just trying to get back healthy,” George said. “I’ll be better. I’ll put the work in but it is a rough patch.”
Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
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He averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists last season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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