David West on Zaza Pachulia injury Kawhi Leonard: ‘Just a tough play’ (video)

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich lit into Zaza Pachulia for injuring Kawhi Leonard. In the process, Popovich pulled Warriors forward David West – who played for San Antonio last year – into the fray: “Ask David West, his current teammate, how things went when Zaza was playing for Dallas and he and David got into it.”

This is Zaza Pachulia's history with Kawhi Leonard and David West that Gregg Popovich was talking about pic.twitter.com/HXhOqBJOSP

— Dan Feldman (@DanFeldmanNBA) May 15, 2017

So reporters asked West.

Anthony Slater of Bay Area News Group:

David West peppered with Zaza/Pop/Kawhi questions: "Things happen" pic.twitter.com/d8YU0aQY9V

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 15, 2017

West:

Zaza is my teammate. He plays hard.

Just playing hard. He’s an aggressive guy. That’s who he is. That’s who he’s always been.

Just a tough play, man. A tough play.

Things happen in the league. Everybody is trying to compete. Everybody wants to win. Things happen.

West is a savvy veteran, too smart to get dragged into this and have his loyalty within his own locker room questioned.

That’s part of what drew him and the Spurs to each other in the first place.