Gregg Popovich has had a great career and Monday night just added to his long list of achievements. The three time coach of the year and five time NBA champion got his 1000th win of his career, ninth coach in NBA history, against the Indiana Pacers on Monday, all with the Spurs. Popovich was the third fastest coach to reach 1000 wins in NBA history, Phil Jackson and Pat Riley only two faster, and has the second most wins with one team, only behind Jerry Sloan. Popovich is one of the best coaches of all-time and easily a first ballot hall of famer. This milestone just proves his greatness and the way he got there is even better. Whether it is rebelling against the NBA and resting his veteran players when told not to or his style of play, 'Pop' never fails to amaze everyone year in and year out.
The Spurs lost yesterday, 87-82, to the Toronto Raptors, putting the Popovich celebration on hold for one more day. He got another chance Monday against the lowly Indiana Pacers and almost blew it once again. The Spurs were down 14 in the fourth quarter but a baseline shot by Marco Belinelli with 2.1 seconds left gave the Spurs a 95-93 win, and Popovich his 1000th win. Popovich celebrated just like you would think he would. He went to mid-court and shook Frank Vogel's hand, hugged a former player of his and then strolled back to the locker room. Popovich is one of the most humble guys you will ever meet and this was just another example. You know to Popovich this was just another win. I don't think he will be pleased until the Spurs start to climb the standings as they sit seventh in the Western Conference, despite a 33-19 record. The Spurs are definitely not the favorites to come out of the Western Conference, but what else is new? If we've learned anything over the Popovich era it's that you can never count him or the Spurs out. Him and Duncan are one of the best coach-player duos ever and even with the season they've had, I wouldn't be surprised if they made the NBA Finals for a third year in a row.
It seems like every year the Spurs are counted out and every year they prove everyone wrong. Popovich continues to win every year, never having a losing season, and having his five championships span through 15 years. Popovich is a wizard when it comes to basketball and there have been very few coaches to do it better than Pop. One of the best things about Popovich is that he did it his way and didn't care what anyone thought, not even the NBA. Popovich has been known to give his key players extra days off to save them for the postseason. The NBA of course hates this because they want every team to give 100% every game for the fans. I don't see a problem with this strategy however. Popovich knows that it is a long season and you need to win the postseason, not regular season, to be named the champion. Being a Bulls fan I wish Tom Thibodeau would learn this because he drives his players to the ground and has an exhausted team come playoff time. The Spurs have aged very nicely, 38 year old Tim Duncan is an all-star this year, and a big reason is because of the extra days of rest. Duncan, Parker and Ginobili are all over 30 years old and are still very good players. They proved this last year as they won Popovich his fifth championship, this time being led by Kawhi Leonard though. I understand why the NBA hates this strategy but when you have an old team, extra rest could be the difference between a championship and being eliminated in the first round. Popovich also runs one of the smoothest offenses and best defenses I've ever seen. Last year the Miami Heat had their "Big 3", while the Spurs had a lot of good players but no superstar. Leonard stepped up that series and became the superstar for the Spurs, but was due in large part to the offense Popovich ran. The ball movement that was shown by the Spurs last year was unbelievable and some of the best ball movement I've ever seen. The Spurs are never the top team in PPG but always have a stingy defense that can shut down the best player on the opposing team. No matter who is on the Spurs they always play the same way and it always works. Very few coaches can rotate new guys in like that and continue to have success like Popovich has had.
Popovich is one of a kind and I respect that he did it his own way. He turned a 17-47 team into a 56-26 team the following year and won a NBA title the next. He also has never had a season with a winning percentage of less than .600. Despite all the success Popovich doesn't take any of the credit. ESPN interviewed Popovich after the historic night and asked him about his consistency throughout the years. Popovich told them, "I've been here a long time and I've had good players. That's the formula. Getting the players is difficult, but I've been fortunate to have good ones. The time, that's the most important element. You have to be around for a while I guess." This is just another reason why we love Pop. Popovich is one of the most humble people you will ever meet and may be why we love his success so much. From his great in game interviews to his great coaching style, Coach Popovich is one of the best ever and whenever his time in the NBA is done we will definitely miss him. Congrats Pop!
The Spurs lost yesterday, 87-82, to the Toronto Raptors, putting the Popovich celebration on hold for one more day. He got another chance Monday against the lowly Indiana Pacers and almost blew it once again. The Spurs were down 14 in the fourth quarter but a baseline shot by Marco Belinelli with 2.1 seconds left gave the Spurs a 95-93 win, and Popovich his 1000th win. Popovich celebrated just like you would think he would. He went to mid-court and shook Frank Vogel's hand, hugged a former player of his and then strolled back to the locker room. Popovich is one of the most humble guys you will ever meet and this was just another example. You know to Popovich this was just another win. I don't think he will be pleased until the Spurs start to climb the standings as they sit seventh in the Western Conference, despite a 33-19 record. The Spurs are definitely not the favorites to come out of the Western Conference, but what else is new? If we've learned anything over the Popovich era it's that you can never count him or the Spurs out. Him and Duncan are one of the best coach-player duos ever and even with the season they've had, I wouldn't be surprised if they made the NBA Finals for a third year in a row.
It seems like every year the Spurs are counted out and every year they prove everyone wrong. Popovich continues to win every year, never having a losing season, and having his five championships span through 15 years. Popovich is a wizard when it comes to basketball and there have been very few coaches to do it better than Pop. One of the best things about Popovich is that he did it his way and didn't care what anyone thought, not even the NBA. Popovich has been known to give his key players extra days off to save them for the postseason. The NBA of course hates this because they want every team to give 100% every game for the fans. I don't see a problem with this strategy however. Popovich knows that it is a long season and you need to win the postseason, not regular season, to be named the champion. Being a Bulls fan I wish Tom Thibodeau would learn this because he drives his players to the ground and has an exhausted team come playoff time. The Spurs have aged very nicely, 38 year old Tim Duncan is an all-star this year, and a big reason is because of the extra days of rest. Duncan, Parker and Ginobili are all over 30 years old and are still very good players. They proved this last year as they won Popovich his fifth championship, this time being led by Kawhi Leonard though. I understand why the NBA hates this strategy but when you have an old team, extra rest could be the difference between a championship and being eliminated in the first round. Popovich also runs one of the smoothest offenses and best defenses I've ever seen. Last year the Miami Heat had their "Big 3", while the Spurs had a lot of good players but no superstar. Leonard stepped up that series and became the superstar for the Spurs, but was due in large part to the offense Popovich ran. The ball movement that was shown by the Spurs last year was unbelievable and some of the best ball movement I've ever seen. The Spurs are never the top team in PPG but always have a stingy defense that can shut down the best player on the opposing team. No matter who is on the Spurs they always play the same way and it always works. Very few coaches can rotate new guys in like that and continue to have success like Popovich has had.
Popovich is one of a kind and I respect that he did it his own way. He turned a 17-47 team into a 56-26 team the following year and won a NBA title the next. He also has never had a season with a winning percentage of less than .600. Despite all the success Popovich doesn't take any of the credit. ESPN interviewed Popovich after the historic night and asked him about his consistency throughout the years. Popovich told them, "I've been here a long time and I've had good players. That's the formula. Getting the players is difficult, but I've been fortunate to have good ones. The time, that's the most important element. You have to be around for a while I guess." This is just another reason why we love Pop. Popovich is one of the most humble people you will ever meet and may be why we love his success so much. From his great in game interviews to his great coaching style, Coach Popovich is one of the best ever and whenever his time in the NBA is done we will definitely miss him. Congrats Pop!
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