Barber: Spurs fans must decide which Warriors player to boo

SAN ANTONIO - I landed here Friday and, surprisingly, Zaza Pachulia was not featured on “Wanted” posters at the airport. He remains one of the most despised human beings “north, south, east and west of the Pecos,” as Yosemite Sam used to say.

The dominant talking point of the NBA Western Conference finals has been Kawhi Leonard's ankle injury, a setback that was either a (literal) twist of fate or a diabolical plot, depending on your view of Pachulia's nimbleness and capacity for evil.

Leonard's availability for Game 3 Saturday, as the series shifts here, is of critical importance to his team. He is the Spurs' best player - among the three finalists for NBA most valuable player - and they have been dreadful since he landed on Pachulia's foot in the third quarter of Game 1 in Oakland. Without Leonard, San Antonio is probably looking at a sweep. With him, they may be looking at a sweep anyway, but who knows?

While Leonard ices and rests and consults with team trainers and doctors, the Warriors must craft two game plans - Kawhi or Not Kawhi. The Spurs' offense will look dramatically different if the ball isn't going through their versatile small forward, and their defense will be subject to mismatches if he isn't on the court.

At practice Friday morning here, Golden State's Kevin Durant said he was “100 percent sure” that Leonard would play, which may have been an internal psych job as much as an honest declaration.

But the real strategizing is being done by Spurs fans, who are faced with a difficult dilemma for Game 3. They don't know who they'll be booing.

The obvious target is Pachulia, the Warriors center with the long history of rough-and-tumble play. He has been the ultimate super-villain here since his awkward close-out at the 3-point line ended with Leonard writhing in pain in front of his own bench.

Everyone within an hour's drive of the Alamo is certain that Pachulia either hurt Leonard on purpose or exercised a gross disregard for his health. A lot of media talking heads feel the same way.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich stoked the fire a day after the incident, launching into a post-practice rant that included this summary of Pachulia's play: “It's dangerous, it's unsportsmanlike, it's just not what anybody does to anybody else.”

The Spurs' performance, pre- and post-injury, has convinced San Antonio fans that Pachulia's lumbering attempt at defense is the sole explanation of the Warriors' 2-0 lead. Forget about Stephen Curry's return to MVP form and LaMarcus Aldridge's frequent passivity. Pachulia is the series MVP (Most Violent Plodder).

So the fans here have been spraying their throats with Lavoris and practicing their vocal scales in preparation for Game 3. (Strangely, when Curry appeared on Carpool Karaoke with “Late Late Show” host James Corden, his warm-up syllables were “Za-za Pa-choo-lee-a.”) They have been avoiding anything louder than whispered conversation for three days, saving their lungs for the dastardly Eastern European center.

Just one problem. Pachulia also might not play.

He bruised his heel in Game 2 and played just under 7 minutes in the Warriors' blowout win. He reportedly sat out most of practice Friday and is listed as questionable for the game.

Pachulia's potential absence has the San Antonio fans scrambling. Sure, they can simply boo every single Warrior, each time one of them touches the ball or has his name mentioned by the PA announcer. But that's exhausting, and it could peter out quickly if the visitors stake a lead.

So the Texans need a backup plan. Curry isn't the universally admired golden child he once was, but he's still an unlikely magnet for jeers.

Crowds have been hard on Kevin Durant since he walked away from the Thunder, but his demeanor is usually too stony to make the booing fun.

The placid Klay Thompson? You might as well boo a stepladder.

No, the backup plan is named Draymond Green. When in doubt, blame Draymond.

Let's be honest, he has earned the position. Green sealed his place in infamy during the 2016 postseason when he cracked the undercarriage of not one but two opponents - Oklahoma City's Steven Adams and Cleveland star LeBron James. Add his routine outbursts at NBA officials and his muscle poses after big dunks, and you can see Green is Mr. Unpopular outside the Bay Area.

So the fans at AT&T Center Saturday must remain flexible.

They should come prepared to rain vitriol upon Pachulia, of course. But they must be agile enough to switch up and aim their wrath at Green if Pachulia doesn't play.

They will have to be creative with their signage.

“Euro-Trash” with a photo of Zaza on one side, “Hide Your Nuts” with a photo of Draymond on the other.

“The Georgia Leech” on one side, “Block That Kick” on the other.

Or maybe a “Lock! Him! Up!” sign with strips of Velcro so the bearer can attach and detach Pachulia and Green pics at will.

The Warriors had one hostile road experience during this postseason, in Game 3 of their West semifinal series at Salt Lake City. Durant and Jazz center Rudy Gobert had a testy moment, and Durant and Green sparred with the crowd throughout.

This game will chippier by at least a couple orders of magnitude.

Because, you see, Zaza Pachulia and his teammates are not liked in San Antonio. In the way that Mexican General Santa Anna and his troops are not liked.

You can reach Phil Barber at 707-521-5263 or phil.barber@pressdemocrat.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Skinny_Post.