Paul George had a message for one 76ers fan.
George put up 36 points in the Celtics’ 123-101 win over the Sixers on Tuesday night in Philadelphia in a highly anticipated matchup that pitted star players against their former teams.
But George caught the attention of many fans who saw a video of him giving the middle finger to someone at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The ex-Sixer and current Celtics star crouched down and then lifted his middle finger in the direction of a fan after he hit a 3-pointer.
George said the fan was “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 explained.
The decision to allegedly antagonize George seemed like a questionable decision by the fan, considering the dominant game he had against his former team.
George brought his A-game on Tuesday night, shooting 14-for-28 from the field and 6-for-11 from 3-point range, while putting up 14 straight points in the fourth quarter.
“He’s been incredible all season. The joy he’s playing with, what he’s brought to our team so far has been great,” Jayson Tatum told NBC after the game. “We’re lucky to have him and keep it going.”
The showdown in the City of Brotherly Love pitted George, who played in Philadelphia last season, against the 76ers, who now have ex-Celtics star Jaylen Brown.
George was part of the 76ers’ return in order for them to acquire Brown in the blockbuster trade in July.
Though George had a big night, Brown underperformed, putting up just 13 points on 4-for-9 from the floor.
