Nostalgia Overpowers Paul George’s OKC Return As Fans Electrify Paycom Center

Paul George took a trip down memory lane. The LA Clippers star addressed the reporters in the locker room after the blow-out loss. One of them asked PG about his experience of playing at the Paycom Center. Being an ex-OKC Thunder player himself, George didn’t have anything but praise for the Oklahoma crowd. He even went on to call the OKC crowd as one of the best home crowd.

He said, “This arena is known for it… getting loud, you see the intensity of this crowd. It bring back memories of being here. We definitely had the arena rocking on a lot of occasions. It’s one of best home crowds.”

After spending a good seven seasons with the Indiana Pacers, Paul George had a brief stint with the Thunder. He teamed up with Russell Westbrook, Jerami Grant, and Carmelo Anthony in 2017. The stay didn’t last long for more than two seasons until he found his current home with the Clippers. Notably, he teamed up with Westbrook again in 2023.

Interestingly, PG13 brought out his career’s best performance during his second and last season with the OKC. He averaged 28 points with 8 rebounds and 4 assists per game in 2018-19 season. Despite producing MVP-level numbers, he couldn’t carry the team past the first round in playoffs.

On the other hand, the OKC crowd isn’t just electrifying when it comes to match-ups, but also respects their players. Notably, tonight, when Beastbrook returned to the Paycom Center, the crowd welcomed the former #0 with a standing ovation.

Read More – “Defensive Leader” Paul George Gets Honest About Clippers’ Tactics After James Harden Trade: “Not Getting as Many Shots as I Was…”

While PG13 only had love for the OKC crowd, but the Thunder team didn’t have any mercy when it came down to the race for the top seed.

The OKC decimates the Clippers

The Thunder put a chokehold on the Clippers right from the tip-off and never loosened it until the last buzzer. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued to put up his MVP numbers, dropping 31 points with 8 assists. He was equally supported by the rest of the starting line-up, as everyone dropped in double digits.

On the other hand, the Clippers didn’t have an anchor to lead the offense. Kawhi Leonard, who dropped 20 points, didn’t get support from either PG or James Harden. The OKC went on to attack the LA side offensively. Currently, the Thunder is one win away from securing the top seed, while the Clippers are three games short.

Importantly, former home crowd hero, Westbrook had an underwhelming night, as he dropped only 2 points, making only one bucket out of his 9 attempts. Will the Clippers find their way to the top? Let us know in the comments below.