With fewer than 30 seconds left in Saturday's Game 7 between the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets, the Spurs trailed by four with Denver holding the ball.
All basketball logic - and a shouting Gregg Popovich - indicated San Antonio should have fouled in that situation.
zwesdreyxturfc gtvhybujnik Spurs pic.twitter.com/UZY6cTRwSp
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) April 28, 2019
But it never happened. Popovich's pleas to LaMarcus Aldridge fell on deaf ears. The Nuggets held on to secure the win and the series as San Antonio's season came to an end.
After the game, the coach succinctly explained what happened. "Obviously he didn't hear anybody, because he didn't foul," Popovich said.
Pop on the non-foul: "well obviously he didn't hear it cause he didn't foul" pic.twitter.com/0yNuKmQWEb
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) April 28, 2019
Aldridge confirmed his coach's explanation. "Didn't hear him, crowd was loud, I missed it, that's it," he told reporters postgame.
The crucial mistake marked the lowest point of a subpar game from Aldridge. The veteran shot 6-of-16 from the floor and was a minus-13 in 41 minutes. By comparison, DeMar DeRozan played 43 minutes and was plus-1.
