Spurs still Kawhi-less

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio star forward Kawhi Leonard will miss Tuesday night’s Game 2 of the Western Conference finals at the Golden State Warriors, leaving Spurs coach Gregg Popovich irate over what he felt was an avoidable injury.

Popovich lashed out at Warriors center Zaza Pachulia for his defense on Leonard, telling reporters on Monday that the Georgian’s play was “dangerous” and “unsportsmanlike”.

Leonard aggravated his left ankle injury in the third quarter of Sunday’s opening game of the best-of-seven series when he landed on Pachulia’s foot after taking a jump shot.

San Antonio held a 23-point lead at the time of the injury but couldn’t hold off a furious comeback without its best player and dropped a 113-111 decision.

“Leading with your foot close-out is not appropriate. It’s dangerous, it’s unsportsmanlike, it’s just not what anybody does to anybody else,” Popovich said.

“And this particular individual has a history with that kind of action. Kawhi’s injury was the result of a totally unnatural close-out that the league outlawed years ago and pays great attention to it.

“We’ve had a pretty damn good season. We’ve played fairly well in the playoffs ... and we’re up 23 points in the third quarter against Golden State, and then Kawhi goes down like that.

“You want to know if our chances are less? You want to know how we feel? That’s how we feel.”

But Pachulia, 33, took exception to the criticism.

“My approach to this game for 14 years that I’ve been in the league is to play hard and (give) 100 percent,” he said.

Leading with your foot close-out is not appropriate. It’s dangerous, it’s unsportsmanlike.”

coach of San Antonio Spurs

Gregg Popovich,

“So, I don’t agree with the calls that I’m a dirty player. I’m not a dirty player. I love this game and I’m playing hard in every minute of every game. That’s what I was taught since day one.”

Leonard injured the same ankle in Game 5 of the Western semifinal and sat out Game 6 against the Houston Rockets last Thursday.

He had 26 points and eight rebounds in just 24 minutes of action.

The All-Star small forward scored a game-high 18 points in the first half as the Spurs stunned the top-seeded Warriors with a 62-42 start.

But Leonard tweaked the ankle when he stepped back into the Spurs’ bench while attempting a 3-pointer early in the third period.

Then after a brief stint on the bench, he returned and landed on Pachulia’s foot after draining a jumper, which sent Leonard limping to the bench for good.

The Spurs were leading 78-55 when Leonard left the game with 7:54 remaining in the third quarter.

Golden State immediately responded with an 18-0 run to get back into the game.