Gregg Popovich is old enough to be Erik Spoelstra’s dad. If the 2013 NBA Finals came down to experience and guile, Popovich would win hands down if you put a wager on basketball. You can bet US fans will pick Pop in a heartbeat. Popovich, 64, is the Garry Kasparov of coaches. He may be … [Read more…]
When Manu Ginobili ever decides to retire from the NBA, he’ll go down in basketball history as one of the greatest to play the game. He’s a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer who belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of international players who changed the NBA landscape, a short list that includes Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol, and Tony Parker. … [Read more…]
Moments after dismantling the top-ranked defense in the NBA, Tony Parker walked into the interview room wearing a T-shirt that read “Best in the West.” The shirt was a perfect fit for Parker and his Spurs. San Antonio is back in the NBA Finals for the fifth time in franchise history after sweeping the Memphis … [Read more…]
Gregg Popovich sent his best players home prior to San Antonio’s game in Miami. The Spurs head coach felt his aging team needed a break after a long trip. For that, and for keeping it a secret, the Spurs were fined $250,000 by the NBA. Commissioner David Stern didn’t appreciate Popovich’s ploy to rest Tim … [Read more…]
“The Spurs frustrate teams cuz it’s like playin against your gym teacher and his friends. All fundamentals!” — Comedian Damon Wayans posted on Twitter San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is normally very reserved whenever he has to address his team’s greatness. But during the 2012 NBA playoffs, after the Spurs outgunned the sports betting … [Read more…]
Before Tim Duncan walked off Chesapeake Arena Wednesday night he took the time to hug Kevin Durant and whispered something in his ear. Durant said Duncan basically congratulated the 23-year-old Thunder star for reaching the NBA Finals and wished him good luck. It was a typical Duncan move. His whole NBA career has been one … [Read more…]
What a difference a week makes. Last week the San Antonio Spurs were on a historic roll, winning 20 in a row and were a perfect 10-0 in the postseason. Seven days later the unbeatable Spurs are going fishing after dropping four consecutive games to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs’ season ended Wednesday night … [Read more…]
The San Antonio game plan for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals was simple. Crowd Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden and put the onus on the offensively challenged Oklahoma City big men. In theory it’s an excellent well-conceived idea by Gregg Popovich and the Spurs coaching staff. But what Popovich didn’t anticipate … [Read more…]
Forget about who is going to the NBA Finals. The bigger question is “can anyone win a playoff game against the San Antonio Spurs?” In case you hadn’t looked it up, the last time the Spurs lost a game was on April 11 against the L.A. Lakers. That’s more than a month ago and the … [Read more…]
The biggest mistake Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks made in the Game 1 loss to San Antonio was his decision to play “small ball.” Instead of sticking with his normally rotation, Brooks tried to match the lineup Spurs coach Gregg Popovich went with in the fourth quarter and it totally backfired. The nine-point lead Oklahoma … [Read more…]