Steven Adams averaged 8.0 points and 6.7 rebounds for the Oklahoma City Thunder this past season. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
It was a wild finish to the Thunder-Spurs game Monday
night. Lost in all the action over the final 13 seconds, though, was
what happened to Oklahoma City center Steven Adams.
Adams attempted to block a shot on the wing in the closing seconds of
the Game 2 win over the Spurs. His momentum then took him into the
first row, where a fan appeared to hold him back as play continued.
According to Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express-News, the woman
was just trying to regain her balance after the 7-foot, 255-pound Adams
fell on her, sources told him.
The grabbing of Adams wasn’t the only thing that happened on the final play, though.
Inbounding the ball with a 1-point lead with roughly 13.5 seconds
left, the Thunder looked to be in good position to win. But Thunder
guard Dion Waiters, who was inbounding the ball, had his pass to Kevin
Durant stolen by Danny Green.
Replays showed that Waiters used to arm to clear out space from Manu
Ginobili, who was fiercely guarding him at the sideline, and should have
resulted in an offensive foul. But replays also showed that Ginobili
was over the line while pressuring Waiters—a technical foul. Waiters
then had to jump to get the ball to Durant—also a violation that results
in a loss of possession—unless the inbounding team is doing it after a
made field, which they weren’t.
Lost in all the Waiters-Ginobili drama was Spurs defensive wizard
Kawhi Leonard holding Russell Westbrook’s jersey in an attempt to keep
up with him—an inbounds foul that results in a free throw for the
Thunder and they get to keep possession.
After all that, no penalties were called, and the Spurs—following
Green’s steal—had several chances to win, but couldn’t connect and
Oklahoma City held on for a 98–97 win. The series is now tied at one
game apiece.
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