Did Gregg Popovich Mock The Referee? Spurs Coach Interrupts Malone's Press Conference

Gregg Popovich was ejected from the game after just 63 seconds as the San Antonio Spurs were beaten by the Denver Nuggets 113-85. It was the second time the Spurs coach was ejected from a game this week, the first time being during their home loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

The NBA’s longest tenured coach was said to be upset over a non-call in the opening minute of the game. Nuggets’ Paul Millsap was guarding LaMarcus Aldridge when he attempted a jumper and missed the shot, and the non-call was said to have enraged Popovich.

The Spurs coach immediately called a timeout with his team trailing 5-0 but continued to protest to the officials. It earned him two technical fouls and the ejection after a mere 63 seconds, which according to ESPN, was the fastest ejection this season. Popovich was also the first coach to be ejected within the first two minutes of a game since Washington Wizards coach Flip Saunders was tossed after a minute and 46 seconds during a game in Boston in 2012.

Popovich seemed to take a pop at the referees after the game when he hilariously interrupted Nuggets head coach Michael Malone’s post-game press conference to ask him what the record that was set during the game was. He then went on to claim that for such an action to take place, someone was either hit or cursed, before he got the backing of Malone, who said “it was part of the game in my book.”

The Spurs went on to lose to the Nuggets, who put in an all-round performance with Nikola Jokic top scoring with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists. But he was ably helped from the bench by Monte Morris and Malik Beasley, who scored 19 points apiece.

The Nuggets are most likely to finish as the second seeds in the Western Conference and the Spurs, who went into the game tied with Oklahoma City Thunder with 45-33 remain in eighth place on the table. They are still in with a chance to finish as the seventh seed, which will see them avoid reigning champions Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.