Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Black Wednesday in the NBA

On Thanksgiving, commissioner Adam Silver and head of basketball ops Joe Dumars are likely waking up to massive migraines because Steve Kerr has lost control of his team, and egomaniacal Gregg Popovich rebuked Spurs fans.

“I didn’t think Chris [Paul] deserved to be ejected,” Kerr said. “The first tech, absolutely. But the second one was unnecessary. Everyone gets frustrated out there, but that’s up to the official.”

In the last 25 seconds of the first half, Paul was switched onto Kevin Durant at the top of the key. He committed a foul defending a blowby, disagreed with it, and harassed crew chief Scott Foster until he was reprimanded for unsportsmanlike conduct, per the NBA’s Pool Report.

The 30th-year ref walked away, but Paul insisted on agitating him vocally and was quickly given a second T, also for unsportsmanlike conduct. Next, Foster was stalked, pointed at, and called a “bitch” repeatedly by the former president of the Players’ Association and supposedly fun-loving good neighbor. Then Kerr had the nerve to verbally undress Foster because he wasn’t going to take disrespect in front of thousands by Paul.

“That’s bullshit,” he yelled at least twice, subsequently getting dishonored with his own T.

There’s no word yet on how annoyed ABC is that little Timmy at home next to his parents had to witness a scene more appropriate for Jerry Springer on the Disney airwaves.

Devin Booker took three freebies before Durant could finish his trip to the charity line. Without the point goon, the Warriors were outscored by eight in the second half and lost 123-115.

The Warriors, a team already undermanned because Draymond Green put an MMA move on Rudy Gobert on Nov. 14, was 2-7 in its last chunk of matches before dueling in Phoenix. No matter to CP, whose drama needed precedent over a potential win on the road.

When it was his turn at the presser, he said it was personal. He also revealed a story about a meeting with a situation regarding his son attended by his father, coach Doc Rivers, Bob Delaney and Foster, when he was still a Clipper. “It’s still been a thing for a while,” he said.

He later repeated, “Don’t use a [technical foul] to get your point across.” But he ignored the one Foster made.

Well, well, well. What more proof is needed that the guy who got laid out by Green before last season (Jordan Poole) and was later shipped out unfairly wasn’t the problem? It’s not even Green. It’s Kerr. Under his watch since punch-gate, the Warriors have struggled in the regular season like they never had aside from two badly plagued injury years.

This is not to say he’s not a sharp strategist, but his voice must be lacking bass since his guys just can’t worry about the game.

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Kawhi Leonard steps to the line for a deuce and is serenaded with boos from his old supporters with three minutes left in the first half. Here comes holier than thou Pop, hijacking the PA announcer’s microphone, claiming it’s indecent to boo the man whose reputation he destroyed in town. Spectators rushed to gush online, and ESPN’s coverage in Español stopped short of labeling him a folk hero.

At the postgame presser, he said his announcement was about not “poking the bear.” As if the Clippers, who had demolished the Spurs twice for a combined 65 points before Wednesday night, needed his help.

Here’s the deal: As Peter Vecsey broke on the Duke Loves Rasslin Show, Pop tried to bully Leonard into playing while hurt and risk his future earning potential in the process so he could drag Manu Ginóbili and Tony Parker through one last blaze of glory. By that time, counting the impact of NBA years, the OGs were as old as the current Rolling Stones.

Benedict Parker even mouthed off to the press that his quad injury was a “hundred times worse.” It’s clear to anyone that does their homework that Leonard was slandered by shills, Michelle Beadle (then on ESPN) and Bruce Bowen (then a CLIPPERS broadcaster), promoting the Spurs’ propaganda because he wouldn’t back down on his principles: playing hurt is for suckers and there ain’t much without respect.

A lot of San Antonians digested Parker, Beadle and Bowen’s crap, never questioning it because of blind allegiance to guess who?

“It’s got no class. It’s not who we are…,” Pop said.

And who is the coach to tell fans who paid good money how to express themselves if it’s within the rules? If he wanted to say anything profound, he should have divulged that he’s the man to boo.

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