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Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George anticipated a hostile welcome to his hometown of Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Wednesday night, ready to soak in the boos from a scorned crowd that once clamored for his services as a soon-to-be free agent.
George signed a four-year, $137 million max contract with the Thunder in free agency, turning down the chance to return home and don the purple and gold after a year in OKC, but the boos from a rowdy LA crowd weren't enough to derail a 37-point performance from the All-Star forward as the Thunder escaped Staples Center with a 107-100 win:
“I thought I handled it better tonight, given I've been in that situation before in Indy,” George said after the game, according to ESPN's Royce Young. “I thought I handled it better tonight with just being locked in, being ready. In Indy, I expected to be booed, but didn't know to what extent. Here, I knew coming in to the situation what it was going to be like.
“I just wanted to play some ball tonight,” he said. “And that's what I did. I wasn't going to allow those officials to sit me out tonight.”
George added:
“I look forward to the second time, later this season, where I'll be booed, and that's in the Midwest,” George said with a grin. “The booing wasn't going to throw me off my game. I've been playing basketball for a really long time, and a little booing and a little noise is not going to make me forget how to play basketball.”
George is in the midst of the best year of his pro career, sporting career highs in scoring (26.7 points), rebounding (8.1), steals (2.3) and 3-pointers made per game (3.3), while tying a career high in assists (4.1) through 36 games.
The Palmdale native seems to have made the right decision, as his game has flourished in his second season with Russell Westbrook. It seems there's no looking back as George heads for a fourth straight All-Star appearance.
