Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals tips off tonight, but with San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard ruled out, NBA fans may be feeling a little cheated.
After Spurs’ head coach Greg Popovich blasted Zaza Pachulia Monday, Jerry West appeared on KNBR’s The Murph and Mac Show Tuesday morning saying if Leonard was able to stay in the game, the Spurs would’ve won. Instead, Golden State overcame a 25-point deficit and took Game 1 113-111.
“He’s one of my two, three favorite players in the league, I absolutely love Kawhi Leonard as a player,” said West.” To lose someone of his caliber when they were playing so well, and to lose a game they played well enough to win, to be honest with you. Frankly, if he would’ve been there we (Golden State) would not have won that game.”
West did come to Pachulia’s defense though, saying it’s unrealistic to practice avoiding other people’s feet on while closing out.
“Sometimes luck comes into play,” he added. “We were fortunate he wasn’t able to play, but I don’t know how you could practice or even consider practicing preventing someone from stepping on someone’s foot. I think he (Leonard) stepped on David Lee’s foot and hurt it before. How do you define that?
“I’m not one of those people that live in the past but to me the NBA is not physical at all when I watch it today,” he added. The best fakers do the best on drawing fouls – I don’t like that part even by the way. It’s not something I think fans should dwell on. I feel horrible for them, I really really do.”
Listen to the full podcast below. To hear West on Leonard and Pachulia, skip to 2:20.
