Both teams were called for delaying the game by Crawford while the Hornets’ Melvin Ely was at the free-throw line with 10.5 seconds left in the period. Hornets players Bonzi Wells and David West went back and forth across the lane trying to decide where to line up, and the Spurs adjusted each time. When Crawford called a delay of game on both teams, Popovich protested.

His protest continued between the quarters, and he was given a technical foul by Crawford, who appeared to poke his finger in Popovich’s chest during the argument.

“I believe the official was incorrect. We’ve gone through this before a couple of years ago in our Sacramento series, and it happened to be with Bonzi (Wells). The team that’s shooting the free throw has to make the first choice about where they’re gong to be placed. So the delay of game should be on that team, not on both.”