As the semifinals have now started, the first round of the NBA playoffs officially came to an end and so did a dreaded streak. The Nuggets broke a decade-long streak of failing to win a playoff series by winning Game 7 90-86 over the Spurs.
The Spurs were down 90-86 with less than 20 seconds to go in Game 7 Saturday while the Nuggets had possession, yet San Antonio didn’t foul.
The Spurs, a team full of veteran players and coaches, let the clock run out without fouling down four with less than 20 seconds to play.
That meant the Spurs were unable to even try to cut into the two-possession lead when they got a defensive rebound with a couple of seconds remaining, and their season was over just like that.
Upon further review of the play, it appeared San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich and his staff were yelling for players to foul someone, but they couldn’t hear them over the Denver crowd and essentially let the clock run out on their season.
Popovich was in particular yelling for Patty Mills to foul but he didn’t see his coach wildly flailing his arms or screaming profusely in his direction.
“Well obviously, he didn’t hear anybody because he didn’t foul,” Popovich told reporters after the game.
San Antonio’s season is now over as the Nuggets won the series 4-3.
Someone has some explaining to do.
Denver now moves on to face the Trail Blazers, who beat the Thunder in five games in their first-round series.
Game 1 will be Monday at 10:30 p.m. ET in Denver.