Gregg Popovich grabs PA mic, tells Spurs fans to stop booing Clippers: ‘It’s not who we are’

Gregg Popovich took a stand against the San Antonio Spurs fans who were booing the Los Angeles Clippers players during Wednesday night’s game. The veteran coach grabbed the public address microphone while Kawhi Leonard was shooting free throws and asked the fans to stop the booing, stating, “It’s got no class, it’s not who we are. Knock off the booing.”

The fans responded with even more boos as the Spurs were trailing 48-39 late in the second quarter.

Leonard’s free throws helped the Clippers extend their lead, but the Spurs quickly fought back with a 9-0 run. The Clippers ended the first half leading 54-48, ultimately defeating the Spurs, who now stand at 3-12, with Leonard scoring a game-high 26 points.

After the game, Popovich emphasized “don’t poke the bear” in response to the crowd booing Leonard.

Leonard mentioned that he was “focused” on the free-throw line despite Popovich’s announcement on the PA mic during the postgame interview.

Popovich, at 74 years old, signed a five-year extension to continue as the Spurs’ coach. He has been in this role since 1996 and holds a illustrious career, being a five-time NBA champion, three-time NBA Coach of the Year, and four-time NBA All-Star Game head coach. He also led Team USA to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

As for Leonard, a five-time All-Star, he played the first seven years of his career in San Antonio before being traded to the Toronto Raptors in July 2018.

Required reading

(Photo: Alonzo Adams / USA Today)