Sense of humor? Check. Subtle dig? Maybe check.

Now the second part may or may not be applicable to Ty Lue, but the first one – he certainly is guilty of. With the Clipper Nation expectantly waiting for tonight’s matchup to tip-off, Coach Lue was asked how fans should react to Paul George’s first game against the team he called home for five years.

His answer? “Boo him tonight and love him afterwards.” 

It’s a classic Lue response – suggesting that fans put PG through a little ‘welcome-back-hazing’ before cheering him on. Now, if we were to imagine this actually taking place, perhaps this is how it would go down. Boo George in the intro, give the hoopster a hard time in the first turnover, and then cheer like crazy when he sinks his first three of the night. In Coach Ty’s book, that’s just how you roll out the red carpet for a beloved ex-member – Clippers style!

That said, the LA coach also had some good things to say about his former player. “Clippers coach Ty Lue called his time with Paul George “great”. He praised his ability to play on both ends of the floor and his shot-making ability,” Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire tweeted, the head coach’s praise highlighting the veteran forward’s impact as a two-way player.

He noted Paul George‘s versatility in both offense and defense, applauding his ability to remain consistent in scoring and creating shots while providing solid defensive play. Lue was also quite appreciative of the 9x All-Star’s shot-making ability under pressure and his skill in guarding top opponents.

In fact, he noted a particularly memorable moment that he carries with him to this day.

“If we didn’t win that game …”: Ty Lue reflects on Paul George’s iconic performance against the Jazz

When Tony Jones of The Athletic asked Ty Lue ” if there’s a singular moment he will remember with PG,” the LA Clippers‘ coach was immediately transported to the 2021 Western Conference SemiFinals against the Utah Jazz. “If we didn’t win that game, I don’t think we would have advanced,” he told Jones.

Pretty sure many of you are well aware of what went down. But for those who might be a little foggy on the details, let’s take a quick look at PG’s standout performance that helped the team. The matchup saw George step up in a huge way, especially considering the team was without Kawhi Leonard, who was sidelined with a knee injury.

The now 34-year-old scored 37 points, grabbed a whopping 16 rebounds, and dished out five assists, leading LA to a 119-111 victory on the road. He became the first player in the Clippers’ history to post at least 35 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists in a playoff game! The win was a crucial point for the team as it gave them a 3-2 lead in the series, eventually helping them to eliminate the Jazz in Game 6. But was that all?

Absolutely not! Defeating Utah meant a ticket to the Conference Finals for the first time. A full-circle moment now completed, indeed. And now, Ty Lue will be on the opponent’s side when facing Paul George. Although the Clippers-PG partnership had a bittersweet ending, moments like this definitely make those years spent together that much more meaningful, wouldn’t you say?