NEW ORLEANS – Pacers coach Nate McMillan got it right when he said Wednesday night that forward Kawhi Leonard traveled just before sinking the game-winning basket in the Spurs’ 100-99 win, the NBA said Thursday.
“I thought he traveled before he took that shot,” McMillan told reporters afterward.
Following a timeout with 8.5 seconds left after Indiana’s Monta Ellis missed a pair of free throws, Leonard swished the game-winner with a turnaround jumper over fellow All-Star Paul George with 2.4 seconds.
But it shouldn’t have counted, the NBA said.
The Pacers bench loudly protested that Leonard traveled.