Stuck in a series of ten consecutive defeats, San Antonio received on Wednesday evening one of the last active players to have a championship ring with the Spurs: Kawhi Leonard. But the Los Angeles Clippers winger is now on hostile territory every game at Frost Bank Center. The Texan public did not digest his partly forced departure in the summer of 2018, traded to Toronto, and still booed him copiously all evening. It was too much for Gregg Popovich who took the microphone in the middle of the match to lecture his fans.
“Excuse me for a second, can we stop the booing and let these guys play?” That’s not classy, that’s not who we are. The boos are enough,” said “Pop” as Leonard prepared to shoot free throws in the second quarter. Without effect. The speech of the historic Spurs coach was also booed by the public, who then saw his former winger be decisive in sealing the success of the Clippers (109-102).
“I think that everyone who knows sport knows: you must not provoke (“poke the bear”) [un joueur comme Leonard] “, added Popovich after the match. Leonard is one of only two players still under NBA contract from the 2014 champion Spurs with Patty Mills (Atlanta). “If I don’t have the San Antonio jersey, they’ll probably boo me for the rest of my career. But it’s like that. They are some of the best fans in the NBA, they are competitive. But when I am in the streets or in the restaurant (in San Antonio), they show me affection,” reacted Leonard, MVP of the final nine years ago against Miami (4-1).
