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Warriors’ Zaza Pachulia: ‘I’m not a dirty player’

Updated 10 months ago on October 15, 2021

By Basketball Insiders

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Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia says he has “a lot of respect” for Gregg Popovich, but he disagrees with the San Antonio Spurs coach’s assertion that his defensive closeout on Kawhi Leonard in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals was “dangerous” and “unsportsmanlike.”

“My approach to this game for 14 years that I’ve been in the league is to play hard and [give] 100 percent of whatever I have,” Pachulia said in response to Popovich on Monday after practice. “So I don’t agree with the calls that I’m a dirty player. I’m not a dirty player. I love this game, and I’m playing hard. That’s what I was taught since day one.”

Source: Chris Haynes of ESPN