With boos ringing in his ears, Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 109-102 win over San Antonio.

The boos prompted Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to admonish the crowd in Wednesday’s loss.

Paul George added 24 for the Clippers while No.1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama posted 22 points and 14 rebounds for the Spurs, whose fans seemed more intent on jeering one of their former stars.

Fans booed as Leonard, who played for San Antonio from 2011-18 before he was traded at his request to Toronto, stood at the free-throw line following a foul by Spurs forward Keldon Johnson with 3:08 remaining in the first half.

Popovich then walked over, grabbed the public address microphone and chastised the crowd at the Frost Bank Centre.

“Excuse me for a second,” Popovich said, silencing the crowd. “Can we stop all the booing and let these guys play? Have a little class. It’s not who we are. Knock off the booing.”

Popovich was asked afterwards what his intended message was to the crowd.

“You know exactly what I mean,” Popovich said. “You don’t poke the bear.”

Popovich repeated the line when asked if he didn’t want the fans to motivate Leonard with their booing.

“Anybody that knows anything about sports knows you don’t poke the bear,” Popovich said. “That’s my answer.”

After an initial stunned silence, the crowd began booing even louder. Leonard faced a cascade of more vociferous jeers but made both free throws.

The booing continued each time Leonard touched the ball and extended to James Harden and other Clippers players. Los Angeles held on to win their seventh straight over the Spurs.

Popovich’s words appeared to energise his team. After trailing by 17 points in the second quarter, San Antonio closed within 52-48 with a minute remaining in the first half.

The Spurs continued the rally to open the third quarter with Johnson’s 3-pointer cutting the Clippers’ lead to 64-62 with 7:13 remaining.

But the Clippers responded with an 18-2 run to regain control.

Jeremy Sochan finished with 19 points, Devin Vassell added 18, Zach Collins had 16 and Johnson 15 for San Antonio, who have trailed by at least 15 points in eight games this season.

The Clippers challenged Wembanyama from the opening tip with Ivica Zubac dropping in a floater off the glass.

The seven-foot-three Wembanyama responded, finishing with three blocked shots.