Russell Westbrook, Paul George's Reaction From Clippers Crowd Compared

An NBA writer suggests Russell Westbrook received a "much warmer reception" from the Clippers crowd compared to Paul George.

Dec 29, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George (13) is greet by guard Russell Westbrook (0) after making a three point basket during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

On Sunday night, the Los Angeles Clippers hosted the Denver Nuggets for the first time this season. Former Clippers guard Russell Westbrook made his first appearance at the new Intuit Dome.

Considering Westbrook spent time with the Clippers in the past, the team decided to do a tribute video for the nine-time All-Star, highlighting his time with the Clippers.

For the most part, the tribute was met with a positive reception for the fans in attendance. Some would say Westbrook received more love than Philadelphia 76ers wing, Paul George.

NBA writer Mark Medina highlighted the video on social media on Sunday night, noting that Westbrook landed a “much warmer reception” compared to George’s return back in November.

Clippers’ video tribute for Russell Westbrook. Clippers fans give Westbrook a much warmer reception than they did for Paul George pic.twitter.com/4za0sceqRy

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) December 2, 2024

After George’s return to LA for a night, there was a lot of league-wide discussion about the reception he received from the Clippers crowd.

Since George was frequently booed throughout the night, George felt fans in attendance went overboard.

George spent five seasons with the Clippers compared to Westbrook’s 89-game stint across two years. Clearly, Westbrook’s short time there was positive and impactful in the eyes of the fans, but George’s exit seems to have struck a nerve with many.

When the 2024 offseason arrived, George declined the fifth-year option on his contract, which would’ve allowed him to have at least one more season with the Clippers. Although he considered going back to LA on a possible new deal, both parties eventually decided a split would be best.

Philadelphia 76ers’ Paul George on getting booed by LA Clippers fans at Intuit Dome: “It’s stupid. I was a free agent. It wasn’t something where I demanded a trade or went against the team here.” pic.twitter.com/sH1RG8umdI

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) November 7, 2024

In the end, George signed with the Sixers on a max deal. When he returned for the first and only time this season, George checked in for 24 minutes. He shot 7-9 from the field to score 18 points in the 12-point loss to the Clippers.

George won’t have to face the Clipper crowd again until next season, now that he’s out East. Considering his return was met with plenty of negative reactions, that just might be the way it is every time from here on out.