Officials stopped the game for three minutes during the first quarter when several bats descended onto the court, ESPN reported. Support staff from both teams swatted at the flying mammals with towels, and while some players fled to the tunnel, Spurs forward Pau Gasol helped out by waving towels, The Washington Post reported.
One staff member was able to chase the bats away by using a net, ESPN reported.
The crowd chanted "Manu! Manu!" during the delay, referencing a 2009 incident when former Spurs star Manu Ginóbili swatted down a bat during a game against the Sacramento Kings on Halloween and picked it up from the court, the Post reported.
"It's just a mouse with wings," Ginóbili joked at the time, ESPN reported. "When you can't dunk anymore, you have to find a way to make it into the news. So that's what I did. I grabbed a bat. I didn't think it was a big deal. I'm going to be retiring soon. If anybody has a pest problem ..."
The delay did not hurt the Spurs, who rallied in the fourth quarter to win their fourth straight game, 117-114, KSAT reported.
Bats everywhere at the AT&T Center .... where is @manuginobili ???? pic.twitter.com/RDTpfZDIXq
— Spurs Nation (@Spurs_Nation) February 1, 2019
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