...He was awarded a trio of free throws, needing to make all three to force OT.
He did, to the delight of coach Gregg Popovich.
“Sometimes in that situation, it’s hard to make three free throws in a row,” Popovich said. “He knocked them down. That’s pretty strong on his part.”
Popovich showed his faith in Neal by calling the game-tying shot for him. It could have been a game-winner — after Minnesota’s Wes Johnson fouled him, Neal’s 3-pointer hit the back of the rim.
Instead, Neal — an 80-percent foul shooter — had to earn the tie the hard way.
“I thought he showed some good guts and stepped up,” Popovich said.