Kawhi Leonard: Did Pachulia step it under on purpose? No. He was contesting the shot
Pachulia: ""I just did what I was supposed to do and challenged his shot. I turned around, and there was a call"
Kawhi Leonard left Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals in the third quarter with a sprained ankle.
Per ESPN, he stepped on the foot of teammate David Lee and then landed on the foot of Warriors center Zaza Pachulia, going down for the game.
"Just very painful," Leonard said. "I tweaked it before, the last shot I shot. But it's hard to tell right now. I definitely couldn't go in that third quarter, with six minutes left."
"I just did what I was supposed to do and challenged his shot. I turned around, and there was a call," Pachulia said. "I didn't notice that he was down until I turned back, actually. So I didn't see what happened there."
"Did he step under it? Like, on purpose?" Leonard asked. "No. He was contesting the shot. The shot clock was coming down. I'll have to see the play."
The Warriors, too, were asked about Pachulia's play -- and Kevin Durant defended his teammate.
"Zaza's not a dirty player. You've got to time that perfectly if you want to hurt somebody,'' Durant said
Per ESPN, he stepped on the foot of teammate David Lee and then landed on the foot of Warriors center Zaza Pachulia, going down for the game.
"Just very painful," Leonard said. "I tweaked it before, the last shot I shot. But it's hard to tell right now. I definitely couldn't go in that third quarter, with six minutes left."
"I just did what I was supposed to do and challenged his shot. I turned around, and there was a call," Pachulia said. "I didn't notice that he was down until I turned back, actually. So I didn't see what happened there."
"Did he step under it? Like, on purpose?" Leonard asked. "No. He was contesting the shot. The shot clock was coming down. I'll have to see the play."
The Warriors, too, were asked about Pachulia's play -- and Kevin Durant defended his teammate.
"Zaza's not a dirty player. You've got to time that perfectly if you want to hurt somebody,'' Durant said