Paul George delivered 36 points for the Boston Celtics in a 123-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night, but the moment drawing the most attention came when he flipped off a fan at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The game marked George’s first return to Philadelphia since he was traded away as part of the deal that sent Jaylen Brown to the 76ers this past July. Video circulating online showed George crouching down and raising his middle finger toward a fan shortly after hitting a 3-pointer.
George later explained what prompted the gesture, telling reporters the fan had been “being an a–hole,” according to the Boston Herald’s Zack Cox.
“He looked me dead in my eyes, dropped the ball on the ground as if I’m a dog to go fetch or go get it, instead of passing the ball to me like a normal fan would do. So then I rolled him a middle finger in return,” George said.
Whatever the fan intended, it did little to throw George off his game. He finished 14-for-28 from the field and 6-for-11 from beyond the arc, including a stretch of 14 straight points in the fourth quarter that helped put the game out of reach.
Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum praised George’s performance and the energy he has brought to the team this season.
“He’s been incredible all season. The joy he’s playing with, what he’s brought to our team so far has been great,” Tatum told NBC after the game. “We’re lucky to have him and keep it going.”
The matchup carried extra weight given the offseason trade that swapped George for Brown. On the night, that trade favored Boston: Brown managed just 13 points on 4-for-9 shooting for Philadelphia.
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