In a heated showdown between the San Antonio Spurs and the LA Clippers, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich took matters into his own hands by grabbing the microphone and pleading with the home crowd to stop booing former Spur Kawhi Leonard. The pleas came as Leonard stepped up to the free-throw line, and Popovich couldn't bear to see his team's fans show such lack of class. Rather than igniting a change in the atmosphere, however, the boos only grew louder, creating an electrifying and tense environment. This became yet another example of the ongoing animosity between Leonard and the Spurs fan base since his controversial departure from the team in 2018.
Despite their best efforts, it seems that the Spurs organization and its loyal supporters have yet to bury the hatchet with Leonard. Every time he returns to San Antonio, the boos rain down on him relentlessly, even extending to the entire Clippers roster, with vocal hostility aimed at star James Harden. It's clear that emotions are still running high, with both sides determined to stand their ground. While Popovich's intervention may have been an attempt to remind the fans of their true nature, it only serves to underline the deep divide that remains between Leonard and the franchise that once celebrated him as a hero. As tensions continue to rise, it seems that this bitter rivalry will persist, adding another layer of excitement to an already thrilling NBA season.