George gets to be home for holidays

In the sparkle of the season, in the twinkle of the lights from the Christmas tree, there is always a dose of killjoy cynicism from somewhere.

It’s the old bromide about being careful what you wish for.

Even in the Season of Dreams, it’s useful advice.

But not so much for Palmdale’s Favorite Son.

The sparkle of the season and the twinkle of the Christmas tree lights haven’t glowed like this for Paul George since he was last home at Christmas, in 2007.

Paul and Paulette George’s son has dreamed of this week for his whole life.

And so far, the reality has been more incredible than the dream.

The Los Angeles Clippers are 15-5 since PG13 made his Staples Center debut after offseason surgery on both shoulders.

Two of those losses in the last week, at Chicago and Oklahoma City, were to teams, frankly, that the Clippers shouldn’t be losing to anymore.

They may have their importance in the scheme of things.

They’re proof this homecoming saga is very real.

In the onetime Knight High legend’s first three seasons in the NBA, the schedule-maker always brought George and his Indiana Pacers teammates to Los Angeles around Thanksgiving.

This Christmas Eve will be so different.

George and the Clippers will practice for their Christmas night Staples gala against the Lakers.

Then the George family, all three generations, will gather around the Christmas tree.

With no hotels to report back to, or departing flights to make.

It’s about 33 miles from the George household in Chatsworth to Staples

Center.

Back when the Casa de George was in the 93552 area code, the basketball court was as close as the driveway.

“Kobe Bryant was my idol, so I would watch Laker games and then go outside and try to copy the moves I saw,” said George, who wore Bryant’s No. 24 at Knight, Fresno State and in his early Indiana years in the NBA. “But I was always more of a Clippers fan. You always root for the underdog.

“I always wanted to see the Clippers win.”

This is the 50th anniversary season of the Clippers, who were born the Buffalo Braves in 1970 and morphed into the San Diego Clippers when they came west in 1978.

In 49 previous seasons, the Clippers won one divisional title.

They have never gotten out of the second round of the NBA playoffs in their history.

So that’s how special you know things have become since George and Kawhi Leonard, who grew up in Moreno Valley as overlooked and undervalued as PG-13 was in Palmdale, have come home together.

There are expectations now.

There is a standard of excellence where before there never was one.

The Clippers are personal, not business, to Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.

That driveway basketball court in the 93552 now seats 20,000.

There may be 20 million looking in from around the nation Wednesday night.

And for the Knight in Shining Armor, who’s already given his hometown all of his former No. 24 Indiana Nike gear and three sets of gorgeous outdoor basketball courts?

This is his greatest gift of all to the youth who walk where he once did. And the rest of us, too. Never give up on your dreams.