INGLEWOOD, Calif. – In his first game against the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome, Paul George received a video tribute, but also heard plenty of boos from The Wall in the new arena all night.

Before an announced crowd of 15,627, George made 7 of 9 shots and had 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, but his old team defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 110-98.

George said he appreciated the video tribute and called the Clippers franchise “first class.” He said his return drew a fair and divisive response, but that he neither understood nor cared about the boos after helping the Clippers reach their only appearance in the Western Conference finals in 2021.

“It sucks,” George said when asked if he was surprised to hear cheers after playing in LA for five seasons. “I mean, I was a free agent, you know what I mean? It wasn’t something that I demanded a trade for or I went against the team here. I was a free agent. The team presented something that was team friendly, and I did what was best for me in that situation.

“So there was the cheering. I appreciate them. Those were the ones I played hard for. The boos, I didn’t get it. I still don’t get it when I go (back) to Indy, but it is what it is .It’s sports. I’m looking forward to being here again next year and more boos.”

After playing five seasons for the Clippers, George signed a four-year, maximum $212 million contract as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer. George said he wanted to remain a Clipper. But he wanted a no-trade clause with a three-year, $150 million extension or a four-year max deal, and the Clippers declined to do either.

After George left, some Clippers fans were irritated by comments he made on his podcast “Podcast P with Paul George,” when he described returning to his hometown of Los Angeles to join the Clippers as if he was on the ‘B team’. “Because so many Lakers fans would tell him he should have joined the Lakers.

Some fans in The Wall, a section where the most ardent Clippers fans line up in unbroken lines behind the basket near the opponent’s bench, brought signs referencing George’s podcast. Several fans held up signs that read: “PG THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK.”

George, playing only his second game after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee late in the preseason, said he didn’t see many of the signs.

“Oh, well, I’m sure they’re probably all subscribers,” George said, referring to his podcast. “So it’s a win-win situation. It’s two wins against The Wall, I think.”

During the first half, when the Sixers had to shoot at The Wall’s basket, George made both of his free throw attempts. In the season-opening overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns, Clippers fans at The Wall successfully distracted Kevin Durant into missing a pair of free throws.

George said Wednesday morning that he holds no grudge against the Clippers organization for not re-signing him. He mentioned his “great” relationship with team owner Steve Ballmer and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank.

“I think it’s been a little misinterpreted or the story hasn’t been written correctly about the relationship with Lawrence (Frank), the relationship with Steve Ballmer,” George said before the Sixers had their morning shootaround at UCLA. “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.”

Frank told ESPN that he was willing to give the Kawhi Leonard-George tandem another three years by extending George to the same three-year, $150 million deal he gave Leonard in January. But the team wouldn’t give George a no-trade clause with that deal, nor a four-year max deal, citing roster flexibility, age and the second prong of the new collective bargaining agreement, which luxury punishes tax-paying teams like the Clippers. .

Outside of the boos, George said he felt a lot of love from old friends on his former team and from many family and friends in the building. He spent time with former teammates like James Harden before the game and didn’t leave the court for more than 15 minutes afterward as he caught up with more former teammates like Ivica Zubac and hugged his parents, Clippers employees and friends. who stood at the court.

“It’s not bad blood,” George said when asked about the resentment that could arise when a star leaves a franchise. “I talked to those guys the whole process. James was briefed on what I did. Kawhi was briefed on what I did. Russ (Westbrook) was briefed on what I did. I talked to all those guys, so there was no harm there blood.

“At the end of the day, regardless of whether we’re teammates or not, they’re lifelong bonds that you build and whatever happens in basketball doesn’t affect that relationship.”

George said he found Intuit Dome to be every bit as spectacular as advertised, but only missed one thing: more Clippers fans.

“It was great,” he said of the Clippers’ new home. “I would have liked it to have been a little busier. I didn’t think it would be so full that this would really be Clippers’ own event.

“But the facility, this thing is amazing. What Ballmer did and his vision and how it came to life – it’s the best arena to play in.”