Myth debunked: Popovich could start a bunch of G-League players and still make the playoffs

[RC_Drunkford]

How many times have people said this? "He can take 10 guys off the street and make the playoffs"

Clearly not the case. Duncan made the scrubs that started next to him look like legit NBA players, not Pop.

[Robz4000]

Eh, the Pop of 5-6 years ago was head and shoulders above current Pop. That Pop could make borderline NBA players thrive.

[timvp]

I never heard anyone say that, tbh.

Going into last season, people did think Pop could turn any collection of talent into a plus defensive team. That turned out to be false, obviously.

[r0drig0lac]

Only people who don't understand the game believed it, the best job of Pop imo (BG 2012-2015) was very good for role players, but that ended when Aldridge signed with SA.

[Genovaswitness]

I never heard anyone say that, tbh.

Going into last season, people did think Pop could turn any collection of talent into a plus defensive team. That turned out to be false, obviously.

this was the narrative during the nasty 2012-2014 era. the plug and play beautiful game era. now look at the team :lmao

[TDMVPDPOY]

hasnt won shit since duncan left

now his bringing back duncan to be his assistant, still hasnt won shit

looks like he wont be winning anything soon...fk cant even win a game

[daslicer]

I never heard anyone say that, tbh.

Going into last season, people did think Pop could turn any collection of talent into a plus defensive team. That turned out to be false, obviously.

A lot of people use that narrative to dismiss Duncan's legacy. So many times over the years I heard people say Duncan only won because of Pop and that Pop made him great. It's part of the reason why #2 left. Notice how 2 years ago the media considered #2 a product of Pop's system and hence why he wasn't given considerations for the league MVP or the title of best player in the game. Now that he's gone everybody media/fans slurp him as the best.

[Dverde]

It would be epic if Pop kicked off all the high volume 3 point shooters off team USA to prove you can win his way. I miss that Pop.

[DMC]

How many times have people said this? "He can take 10 guys off the street and make the playoffs"

Clearly not the case. Duncan made the scrubs that started next to him look like legit NBA players, not Pop.

With Tim Duncan as a teammate, lower tier players elevate their games. Now with LMA and DDR riding the league wide entitlement train where untouchables reside, new players just hope to keep a job.

[Excessive Egotist]

I'm not sure this G-League claim has been completely disproven yet. Are we really sure that a team featuring Murray, White, Walker, Samanic, Poeltl (with Metu and Johnson receiving minutes off the bench) wouldn't have a better record than the team Popovich rolled out against the Wizards? At the very least, I'd rather watch the former group.

[DMC]

hasnt won shit since Danny Green left

now his bringing back duncan to be his assistant, still hasnt won shit

looks like he wont be winning anything soon...fk cant even win a game


hasnt won shit since Kawhi left

now his bringing back duncan to be his assistant, still hasnt won shit

looks like he wont be winning anything soon...fk cant even win a game


hasnt won shit since Aaron Baynes left

now his bringing back duncan to be his assistant, still hasnt won shit

looks like he wont be winning anything soon...fk cant even win a game

[KobesAchilles]

Eh it was almost proved right when we made the playoffs without Kawhi. We had LMA but everyone one else kinda sucked tbh. Even Rudy Gay who was injured constantly and missed a buncha games

[Capt Bringdown]

How long of a losing streak must Spurs fans endure before he gets his walking papers?

[timvp]

A lot of people use that narrative to dismiss Duncan's legacy. So many times over the years I heard people say Duncan only won because of Pop and that Pop made him great.Really? I've literally never seen that. Maybe from a Laker troll or something looking to elevate Kobe. But I don't remember seeing anything legit that claimed Pop made Duncan. You have a link, by chance?

Pop himself has always admitted he'd be coaching at some DIII backwoods college if Duncan didn't come to San Antonio.


Notice how 2 years ago the media considered #2 a product of Pop's system and hence why he wasn't given considerations for the league MVP or the title of best player in the game.

I mean, Nephew finished 2nd and 3rd in the MVP voting his last two seasons with the Spurs. He finished 9th last year. And in 2017, no one flinched when Nephew was regarded as the best overall player in the game.

[JeffDuncan]

How many times have people said this? "He can take 10 guys off the street and make the playoffs"
...

You're taking literally what people were saying as a compliment.

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

I never heard anyone say that, tbh.

Going into last season, people did think Pop could turn any collection of talent into a plus defensive team. That turned out to be false, obviously.You could have the best defensive game plan in the world and it won't matter if you don't have people that can play defense.

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

How many times have people said this? "He can take 10 guys off the street and make the playoffs"

Clearly not the case. Duncan made the scrubs that started next to him look like legit NBA players, not Pop.On the flip side you think if Walker started he would fill all the holes and will lead he Spurs to a championship. And I would not say that Robinson, Elliott, Parker, Leonard are Scrubs.

[jjktkk]

Eh, the Pop of 5-6 years ago was head and shoulders above current Pop. That Pop could make borderline NBA players thrive.

Or maybe Pop had a lot better talent to work with. Funny how having great players can make a coach look great.

[jjktkk]

A lot of people use that narrative to dismiss Duncan's legacy.. Like who? NBA media? NBA analysts? Never heard anyone say that.

[ZeusWillJudge]

Like who? NBA media? NBA analysts? Never heard anyone say that.


It's a mythical myth.

I would know.

[RC_Drunkford]

On the flip side you think if Walker started he would fill all the holes and will lead he Spurs to a championship. And I would not say that Robinson, Elliott, Parker, Leonard are Scrubs.

I never said they were scrubs, I said Duncan made scrubs look good. That doesn't mean that everybody he played with were scrubs. And no Walker won't take the team to a championship and I never said that. He would fix a lot though if he were to take all of Belinelli's or Forbes minutes

[ZeusWillJudge]

I never said they were scrubs, I said Duncan made scrubs look good. That doesn't mean that everybody he played with were scrubs. And no Walker won't take the team to a championship and I never said that. He would fix a lot though if he were to take all of Belinelli's or Forbes minutes


I hate it when people make shit up that you never said, and then correct you over it.

[apalisoc_9]

stole DPOYs from Timmy
MVP from Kawhi
All star apperreances from manual
all nba from Tony.

I hate how he gets so much undeserved credit.

Easily the most overrated coach of all time...but he also happens to be the best coach of all time.

[ChumpDumper]

A lot of people use that narrative to dismiss Duncan's legacy. So many times over the years I heard people say Duncan only won because of Pop and that Pop made him great.Who actually said this? Links?

[John B]

2014 beautiful game didn’t have the most athletic roster. That’s mostly coaching. Imo Pop would’ve rang with CP3/Griffin/Jordan, Russ/Durant/Adams, Conley/Gasol/Randolph who had better roster.

[DMC]

What's funny is, if the Spurs had a NY Knicks like season or two under some pretentious player-turned-coach type who only shines with the best talent in the league, then the Spurs fired him and brought in Gregg to rebuild, we'd feel like we scored big. Now people are calling for him to be fired because of an 8 game losing streak - perhaps the 1st of his coaching career and he's 70 years old and just hung his 6th rafter jersey (Sean, Avery, David, Tim, Manu, Tony), and will have 4 of his players in the HOF (David on the tail end of his career).

You don't fire that guy for a losing streak with the squad he has.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

G-Leaguers are probably more talented than this Spurs roster, tbqh.