Paul George Expected Hostile Treatment From Lakers Fans, Accepts Being ‘The Bad Guy’

Matthew Moreno
2 Min Read
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

One season removed from being treated like a hero, Paul George was the certifiable villain when the Oklahoma City Thunder faced the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. George previously received warm receptions whenever returning home but Wednesday night was a much different story.

He was met with a smatter of boos when the Thunder took the court for pregame warmups. There was more vitriol during introductions and each time George touched the ball. Cheers rained down when he picked up three fouls in the first quarter, but more boos followed as he was substituted for.

“I mean, I knew coming into it (what the reaction would be). There was no shock or surprise,” George said. “I was prepared for it. It is what it is. I’m the bad guy, and that’s fine.

“Other than saying I would want to play here, I didn’t choose to come here. I’m not the only guy from So. Cal area that didn’t decide to play here.”

George previously expressed his appreciation for how he was treated at Staples Center. While it swung in the completely opposite direction, he similarly enjoyed the environment.

“It was fun. I enjoyed it. The booing wasn’t going to throw me off my game,” George said. “I’ve been playing basketball for a really long time. A little booing and a little noise is not going to make me forget how to play basketball.”

Missed shots and early foul trouble seemed to throw the 28-year-old off his rhythm but George eventually settled in. He scored a game-high 37 points, which included a flurry late in the fourth quarter to help the Thunder seal their win.

“I just wanted to play basketball, honestly. I didn’t come to L.A. to sit on the bench. I just wanted to play some ball and that’s what I did,” George said of the three quick fouls he picked up.

Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers games, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com