Yesterday, Spurs star Kawhi Leonard was forced to leave game 1 of the Western Conference finals after Warriors center Zaza Pachulia stepped under him while closing out on a jump shot and re-aggravated Leonard’s lingering ankle injury.
Zaza took an extra step after Kawhi released the ball
Dirty as all hellpic.twitter.com/MJhNLAVn1h— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) May 14, 2017
While speaking to the media today Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called out Pachulia for the “totally unnatural close out” on Leonard and ripped the Warriors center for his history of dirty play.
Popovich just went off… felt Zaza's close out on Kawhi was inappropriate #Spurs #Warriors pic.twitter.com/Y23hiz9swc
— Jabari Young (@JabariJYoung) May 15, 2017
Gregg Popovich goes off on Zaza Pachulia's "dangerous, unsportsmanlike… totally unnatural closeout" on Kawhi Leonard & cites his "history" pic.twitter.com/mfEtWNfGJ6
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) May 15, 2017
To sum up Pop: Zaza has a history, it was a bs play, "I don't give a damn about intent, you still go to jail for manslaughter."
— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) May 15, 2017
During the media scrum Popovich announced the team will be without Leonard in game of the WCF which probably dooms the Spurs in this series.
Breaking: Kawhi Leonard will not play in Game 2 vs. Warriors, per Gregg Popovich pic.twitter.com/77OwH1RkfG
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 15, 2017