INGLEWOOD, Calif. – INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Paul George heard about it upon his return to Los Angeles Wednesday night for the first time since leaving the Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers last summer.

Fans booed George when he was introduced at the Intuit Dome, the Clippers’ new arena that seats 18,000 but draws announced attendance of 15,627. They became vocal every time he touched the ball during the game. He responded early on with consecutive three-pointers.

“Boo him tonight and love him afterwards,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before the game.

George scored 18 points on 7 of 9 shooting and seven rebounds in 24 minutes in the 110-98 loss. The Sixers fell to 1-6.

“He got a lot of attention, a lot of double teams,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said. “He had some good balls and played pretty well in defense at times, but here too he is still working his way back in terms of fitness.”

George played in only his second game of the season after a left knee injury prevented him from doing so. He scored 15 points in 32 minutes in the Sixers’ 118-116 loss to Phoenix on Monday.

“They’re throwing a lot of things at me that I’m not ready for right now because I’m still trying to get healthy,” George said. “I’ll feel better. I will put in a lot of work, but it is a difficult phase.”

Toward the end of the first quarter, the Clippers played a George tribute video on the giant halo board above the field. He waved to acknowledge the polite applause.

“Every time I try to lock myself in and prepare, I look over and see someone I knew,” he said. “It immediately took me out of the mindset of preparation, and then I tried to lock myself back in and there was another person.”

In five seasons with the Clippers, the native of nearby Palmdale helped them to their first-ever appearance in the Western Conference Finals, but they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs each of the last two years.

“He’s a special talent,” Lue said.

George waived his player option in his $48 million contract with the Clippers to become a free agent and was traded to Philly to play with Joel Embiid.

“It’s stupid,” George said of the boos. “I was a free agent. This wasn’t about me demanding a trade or turning against the team. I did what was best for me in that situation.”

The Clippers are off to a 4-4 start to the season, hardly the start they want to attract fans to their new building.

“I wish it had been a little more crowded,” George said. “This thing is amazing, what (owner Steve) Ballmer has done and the vision he has. It’s the best arena to play in.”

The Wall, a seating area near the visitors’ bench limited to die-hard Clippers fans, also weighed on George.

“I think I won The Wall,” he said. “They need to do a little better.”

Another fan held up a sign that read, “Paul G, please come back.” The Clippers will be without Kahwi Leonard, who hasn’t played yet this season, while he nurses his surgically repaired right knee – again. In addition to George, they also lost Russell Westbrook from their Big Four, which now goes to Leonard and James Harden.

“There is no bad blood. I spoke to these people throughout the entire process,” George said. “Whether we’re teammates or not, these are lifelong bonds that you build. Whatever happens in basketball has no impact on this relationship.”

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