Head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, chastised his home crowd on Wednesday night for jeering Los Angeles Clippers player Kawhi Leonard as he attempted a free throw.
“Pardon me for a moment. Could we just put an end to the jeers and let these guys play? Popovich stated as he hurried up to a microphone by the floor. It lacks sophistication. That isn’t our identity. Put an end to the heckling.
The home crowd jeered Leonard when he went to the line during the second quarter of the game. Leonard won a championship with the Spurs in 2014, but he left the franchise amicably in the summer of 2018. Even after Popovich intervened, the animosity persisted all evening.
Not that the jeers helped the Spurs’ cause: after losing to the Clippers 109-102, San Antonio suffered its 12th loss of the season and its 10th in a row. To make matters worse, Leonard finished as the game’s top scorer with 26 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.
Following the game, Popovich remarked, “Anybody who knows anything about sports knows you don’t poke the bear.”
After the game, Leonard said, “If I don’t have a Spurs jersey on, they’re probably going to boo me for the rest of my career.” But really, things are as they are. They’re fiercely competitive and among the best fans in the league, as I’ve already mentioned. When I go outside on
Fans still cherish their memories of him even if he left the Spurs: “When I’m on the streets or going into restaurants, they show love.” So that’s how things are.
Fortunately for the Spurs, highly regarded rookie Victor Wembanyama of San Antonio had a fantastic night with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks to cap off a strong NBA debut.
The Clippers win three in a row to improve to 6-7, while San Antonio drops to 3-12 overall.
