Houston Chronicle · May 5, 2017
Spurs' David Lee goes way back with Rockets' Mike D'Antoni
When Spurs center Dewayne Dedmon was ejected from Monday's Game 1 between the Rockets and Spurs, allowing Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni to pick someone on the Spurs' bench to shoot his free throw, he found a familiar, friendly face for the job.
Spurs center David Lee made just 70.8 percent of his free throws this season, but D'Antoni likely chose him for their shared history, rather than for a strategy with a 36-point lead.
"I got a lot of respect for Mike," Lee said. "I had a great two years playing for him. I looked at him, gave him trouble, and then he made the joke he was trying to pad my stats. He's a good guy, but it was something I was giving him trouble about."
