When John Leach saw the Thunder’s team doctor sprinting toward the officials, he knew there was trouble.
Leach has directed in-game entertainment in professional basketball for more than two decades, and from his mid-court seat next to the public-address announcer, he’s seen just about everything. But before the night of March 11, he had only ever seen players run out to a referee before tipoff.
Seeing Donnie Strack, the Thunder’s vice president of human and player performance, there on the court with the officials sounded alarms in Leach’s head.
“Buckle up,” Leach told PA man Mario Nanni.