As The Ankle Turns

Was Zaza Pachulia’s takedown of the San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard a dirty play?

Eight minutes remained in the 3rd quarter of Sunday’s NBA Western Conference Finals Game 1 between the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs, with the Spurs leading by 23 points when the Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard soared up from the left side with a three-point shot… only to come down on Zaza Pachulia’s foot, re-injuring his left ankle. Leonard had to leave the game after his two free throws, never to return at which point Golden State ran off 18 consecutive points to eventually overcome the Spurs, 113-111.

The question on most pundits’ minds and fans alike was whether Pachulia’s play was incidental and non-intentional or did Pachulia intend to take Leonard out of the game?

Pachulia has had a history of, shall we say, questionable plays with other players in recent years. Another one with Leonard in Dallas where Pachulia nearly ripped Leonard’s left arm off in a scramble for a loose ball, attempting to kick the Spurs’ Danny Greene in the face, also in Dallas. Just last year, Pachulia nearly elbowed David West, then playing with the Spurs, after hitting West on the head with the basketball, causing a near-fight.

Several other incidents such as the one Sunday afternoon dot his, as Stephen A. Smith calls it, “scrub” career.

These plays by Pachulia, at worst they are intentional, at the least, they are reckless. Replays of Leonard’s landing on Pachulia’s foot have been played, replayed, analyzed and re-analyzed thousands of times now and the general opinion is that while it was a “basketball play,” it was a dirty play that resulted in an injury. NBA game rules clearly state that defenders must give space to an offensive player coming down from a jump shot. Replays clearly show that Pachulia did not, in fact, he never jumped to contest Leonard’s shot.

Pachulia just slid his left foot not once but twice into the general space under Leonard’s descent back to the floor, while facing away from Leonard. Pachulia stated afterwards that he didn’t even feel Leonard touching his feet on the play. How could you NOT feel a 6-9, 235-pound basketball player falling onto your feet? Pachulia clearly knew what he was doing, just as with every other incident he’s been involved in the last few years.

So, should the NBA review the play and take appropriate disciplinary action against Pachulia for violating a league rule? I believe they should. Pachulia’s play Sunday at the very least begs for a league review and suspension. His history of altercations with other players leaves little doubt in my mind that his actions in the past have created a “dirty” history that the league must deal with.

Not doing so will place other players in harm’s way with Pachulia which could lead to much more serious injuries. This is basketball, a supposedly non-contact sport, not football.