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01-02-2011, 04:33 PM
Despite pace, Spurs focus is on playoffs not milestones (http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/art_garcia/01/02/spurs-feature/index.html)
Art Garcia - NBA.com
http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/2011/news/features/art_garcia/01/02/spurs-feature/spurs-608.jpg
SAN ANTONIO -- The question received a predictable eye roll and exasperated sigh from Gregg Popovich. Are the Spurs thinking about 70? Yes, as in 70 wins.
"No, Jesus," San Antonio's no-nonsense coach replied. "You still drunk?"
Spurs opponents are the ones often feeling flattened by a post-New Year hangover. Popovich's 15th team is off to the best start in franchise annals, owns the league's best record by a startling four games and, to be fair, is on a 72-win pace.
"I wouldn't give it a moment's thought -- now or ever," Popovich added when pressed on 70. "I just think it's a ridiculous thought."
Not that Pop is thinking about that, or much else these days in regards to numbers. He claims not to pay much heed to San Antonio's surprising offensive prowess -- top five in scoring, field-goal percentage and 3-point percentage -- and really could care less about any run at history or the 1996 Chicago Bulls.
"I don't try to figure things out," Popovich said. "Just play each day, go to practice, go to the game and the stats are what they are. I didn't plan on being as low as we are defensively."
That's the only possible chink in the armor with the season's halfway point about two weeks away, and those dents appear to be getting banged out. San Antonio sits middle of the pack in most defensive categories, which is surprising for a team that's forged an identity for more than a decade by locking foes down.
But guess what?
Continue Reading>>> (http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/art_garcia/01/02/spurs-feature/index.html)
Art Garcia - NBA.com
http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/2011/news/features/art_garcia/01/02/spurs-feature/spurs-608.jpg
SAN ANTONIO -- The question received a predictable eye roll and exasperated sigh from Gregg Popovich. Are the Spurs thinking about 70? Yes, as in 70 wins.
"No, Jesus," San Antonio's no-nonsense coach replied. "You still drunk?"
Spurs opponents are the ones often feeling flattened by a post-New Year hangover. Popovich's 15th team is off to the best start in franchise annals, owns the league's best record by a startling four games and, to be fair, is on a 72-win pace.
"I wouldn't give it a moment's thought -- now or ever," Popovich added when pressed on 70. "I just think it's a ridiculous thought."
Not that Pop is thinking about that, or much else these days in regards to numbers. He claims not to pay much heed to San Antonio's surprising offensive prowess -- top five in scoring, field-goal percentage and 3-point percentage -- and really could care less about any run at history or the 1996 Chicago Bulls.
"I don't try to figure things out," Popovich said. "Just play each day, go to practice, go to the game and the stats are what they are. I didn't plan on being as low as we are defensively."
That's the only possible chink in the armor with the season's halfway point about two weeks away, and those dents appear to be getting banged out. San Antonio sits middle of the pack in most defensive categories, which is surprising for a team that's forged an identity for more than a decade by locking foes down.
But guess what?
Continue Reading>>> (http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/art_garcia/01/02/spurs-feature/index.html)