south side spur
02-10-2017, 02:19 PM
http://www.expressnews.com/sports/spurs/article/Spurs-Murray-warms-to-Popovich-s-tough-love-10921285.php
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. —
With 2:03 to play in the Spurs’ Jan. 31 victory over Oklahoma City, coach Gregg
Popovich dispatched rookie point guard Dejounte Murray into the game for mop-up
duty.
The Spurs were ahead by 17 points.
Forty-eight seconds later, Murray broke off a play to attack the basket on his own, missing a 5-foot runner. Twenty-six seconds after that, Popovich used a 20-second timeout to yank Murray from the game.
Total clock time for Murray’s night’s work: 1:41.
“Young players have to learn that team goals are more important,” Popovich said. “Whatever you do individually, you have to lead toward that. Sometimes lessons have to be given in that sense.”
It wasn’t the first time this season Popovich gave Murray a quick hook.
In a way, Murray hopes it isn’t the last.
“If he didn’t want to coach me and just threw me out there, it would say something to me that he’s not trying to teach me,” said Murray, a 20-year-old out of the University of Washington. “I think it’s real important for him to be able to coach me.”
The Spurs remain as high on Murray as they were in June, when they drafted him No. 29 overall. Having seen him up close for half a season, their expectations for him might even be higher.
At 6-foot-5, Murray has the potential to give the Spurs length and athleticism they have seldom had at the point guard position.
It’s for precisely that reason Popovich continues to hit Murray with tough love.
“He’s intelligent,” Popovich said. “He understands when he comes out, why he came out. He doesn’t pout or hold a grudge or act like he’s above it all.”
It has been something of a wild couple weeks for Murray.
With Tony Parker missing four games in late January with a foot injury, Murray was elevated to the starting lineup.
He poured in a season-high 24 points in a victory over Denver. Two days later he started a nationally televised game at Cleveland, on the road against the defending champion, and held his own against LeBron James and Co.
“He showed us he wasn’t afraid of the moment,” forward LaMarcus Aldridge said. “He took shots, made shots, played confident. He showed how good he can be.”
When Parker returned Feb. 27, Murray resumed his role as the No. 3 point guard behind Patty Mills.
He has since been relegated to occasional garbage-time minutes. In two of the past five games, Murray didn’t play at all, including Wednesday’s eight-point win in Philadelphia.
Murray will likely be back on the end of the bench Friday, when the Spurs play at Detroit.
Whatever happens, Murray aims to use each moment, good or bad, as a learning tool.
“That’s the mindset every day,” Murray said. “Just learn and get better.”
Parker knows the lengths to which Popovich will go in order to coax greatness out of a young point guard.
He saw it firsthand as a teenage rookie out of France in 2001-02.
“Pop is usually trying to make a point, and he’s trying to teach you something,” Parker said. “Sometimes it’s hard and you just have to swallow your pride and know Pop means well, and he wants to win. As long as you know that, it’s nothing against you personally.”
Parker’s situation as a rookie was different than Murray’s is now. Popovich installed Parker as the point guard five games into his first season.
Beyond making sure Parker knew the offense, Popovich also needed to test his toughness.
Murray has time to wait and watch, to marinate and grow. Popovich has the luxury of going easier on Murray, even if it doesn’t always feel that way.
“Dejounte is a great kid, and he’s willing to learn,” Parker said. “But he’s going to have to go through the same stuff that I went through. All of the young guys go through a learning experience with Pop, because it’s not easy to play for him. He’s very demanding.”
For his part, Murray doesn’t seem to mind being coached this way. In high school at Rainier Beach in Seattle, he played for coach Mike Bethea, who Murray describes as a taskmaster.
Asked to assess Popovich as a teacher, Murray did something unexpected.
He broke into a grin.
“He’s great, A-plus,” Murray said. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s one of the greatest. It’s up to me to take in everything he’s telling me, soak it in and run with it.”
And if sometimes Murray has to sit to soak in what it means to be an NBA point guard?
He’s good with that, too.
[email protected]
Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. —
With 2:03 to play in the Spurs’ Jan. 31 victory over Oklahoma City, coach Gregg
Popovich dispatched rookie point guard Dejounte Murray into the game for mop-up
duty.
The Spurs were ahead by 17 points.
Forty-eight seconds later, Murray broke off a play to attack the basket on his own, missing a 5-foot runner. Twenty-six seconds after that, Popovich used a 20-second timeout to yank Murray from the game.
Total clock time for Murray’s night’s work: 1:41.
“Young players have to learn that team goals are more important,” Popovich said. “Whatever you do individually, you have to lead toward that. Sometimes lessons have to be given in that sense.”
It wasn’t the first time this season Popovich gave Murray a quick hook.
In a way, Murray hopes it isn’t the last.
“If he didn’t want to coach me and just threw me out there, it would say something to me that he’s not trying to teach me,” said Murray, a 20-year-old out of the University of Washington. “I think it’s real important for him to be able to coach me.”
The Spurs remain as high on Murray as they were in June, when they drafted him No. 29 overall. Having seen him up close for half a season, their expectations for him might even be higher.
At 6-foot-5, Murray has the potential to give the Spurs length and athleticism they have seldom had at the point guard position.
It’s for precisely that reason Popovich continues to hit Murray with tough love.
“He’s intelligent,” Popovich said. “He understands when he comes out, why he came out. He doesn’t pout or hold a grudge or act like he’s above it all.”
It has been something of a wild couple weeks for Murray.
With Tony Parker missing four games in late January with a foot injury, Murray was elevated to the starting lineup.
He poured in a season-high 24 points in a victory over Denver. Two days later he started a nationally televised game at Cleveland, on the road against the defending champion, and held his own against LeBron James and Co.
“He showed us he wasn’t afraid of the moment,” forward LaMarcus Aldridge said. “He took shots, made shots, played confident. He showed how good he can be.”
When Parker returned Feb. 27, Murray resumed his role as the No. 3 point guard behind Patty Mills.
He has since been relegated to occasional garbage-time minutes. In two of the past five games, Murray didn’t play at all, including Wednesday’s eight-point win in Philadelphia.
Murray will likely be back on the end of the bench Friday, when the Spurs play at Detroit.
Whatever happens, Murray aims to use each moment, good or bad, as a learning tool.
“That’s the mindset every day,” Murray said. “Just learn and get better.”
Parker knows the lengths to which Popovich will go in order to coax greatness out of a young point guard.
He saw it firsthand as a teenage rookie out of France in 2001-02.
“Pop is usually trying to make a point, and he’s trying to teach you something,” Parker said. “Sometimes it’s hard and you just have to swallow your pride and know Pop means well, and he wants to win. As long as you know that, it’s nothing against you personally.”
Parker’s situation as a rookie was different than Murray’s is now. Popovich installed Parker as the point guard five games into his first season.
Beyond making sure Parker knew the offense, Popovich also needed to test his toughness.
Murray has time to wait and watch, to marinate and grow. Popovich has the luxury of going easier on Murray, even if it doesn’t always feel that way.
“Dejounte is a great kid, and he’s willing to learn,” Parker said. “But he’s going to have to go through the same stuff that I went through. All of the young guys go through a learning experience with Pop, because it’s not easy to play for him. He’s very demanding.”
For his part, Murray doesn’t seem to mind being coached this way. In high school at Rainier Beach in Seattle, he played for coach Mike Bethea, who Murray describes as a taskmaster.
Asked to assess Popovich as a teacher, Murray did something unexpected.
He broke into a grin.
“He’s great, A-plus,” Murray said. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s one of the greatest. It’s up to me to take in everything he’s telling me, soak it in and run with it.”
And if sometimes Murray has to sit to soak in what it means to be an NBA point guard?
He’s good with that, too.
[email protected]
Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN