Pop is offcially done...

[resistanze]

I agree tbh... pop is not the one who shot 5/18 from the bench

He's the one who put out that bench repeatedly when it hasn't worked. There are other bench players you would've thought would give given a shot way before this point (Martin, Boban). Donovan is putting out Foye mid-series and benching Payne but Pop seemingly doesn't have a clue.

[jjktkk]

Of course there's a lot of blame to go around, tbh. But it makes complete sense to point your finger at the guy that's responsible to figure out what's working and what isn't and ultimately making the decisions to go down with the ship as-is, or not.

As mid pointed out in the other thread, Billy eventually figured out he couldn't play his backup PG even though he played all regular season long. The Anderson/West/Patty trio hasn't worked outside that fluke game 1, but Pop seems intent to go down with that ship. He signed up KMart and Miller, give them a shot. Even Boban, at this point, should have been something to try out there when we're getting murdered in the glass. He might not be ready for the bright lights, but it's patently clear that neither is Kyle, and he has no qualms of giving him minutes, as little as they are.

Sorry El, but the trio you mentioned: Kmart, Miller, and Boban, were not going to change the outcome of these games imo. Maybe Boban, just with his rim protection alone, but I would worry that he would get exposed on defense. The Spurs need their two best players to consistently play like their two best players, especially in crunch time, you know like OKC's two best players. Neither Leonard, or Aldridge were able to able to do this. The whole bench disappeared. No one stepped up. Parker, Duncan, and Green played well in spurts, but you need Aldridge and Leonard to lead this team now. But Pop did put this team together, so he can definitely take the blame, but theirs plenty to go around imo.

[TheGreatYacht]

I will not let this thread go to Page 2. Bump.

[spursistan]

I will not let this thread go to Page 2. Bump.

Carlisle/Mavs should have tanked to push this got in again ..He really was lucky MVParker showed up in Game 7 in 2014..

[TheGreatYacht]

Carlisle/Mavs should have tanked to push this got in again ..He really was lucky MVParker showed up in Game 7 in 2014..

He's always rode coattails, tbh.

Kawhi scores almost all of his points on ISO's. Duncan scored on post ups and bank shots. Parker relied on his speed and floaters. Manu had a free leash, Pop had nothing to do with him being great. , even Aldridge is getting tougher shots than he did in Portland ... Post ups 3 feet in front of the three point line, smfh.

The only thing you can give him credit for, I guess, are the role players like Green.. Although Chip Engelland has more to do with the shooters than Pop.

[SAGirl]

Sorry El, but the trio you mentioned: Kmart, Miller, and Boban, were not going to change the outcome of these games imo. Maybe Boban, just with his rim protection alone, but I would worry that he would get exposed on defense. The Spurs need their two best players to consistently play like their two best players, especially in crunch time, you know like OKC's two best players. Neither Leonard, or Aldridge were able to able to do this. The whole bench disappeared. No one stepped up. Parker, Duncan, and Green played well in spurts, but you need Aldridge and Leonard to lead this team now. But Pop did put this team together, so he can definitely take the blame, but theirs plenty to go around imo.

I agree with you bc ty lineups aside the stars reached 4th Q with a small lead that they squandered. Both games 4 and 5 Thunder stars reached the 4th from behind and took it. Our stars reached the 4th with a small lead and folded its that simple. You could even say game 3 we won bc Tony was clutch. When he wasn't the next two games it's a loss. That is on the stars. It should be on Kawhi and LMA.

POP played Timmy 30 minutes, I think that is the max for a guy his age and with his knee situation in this series. When your two best players fail to seize the moment it's time to put some burden on them.

[jjktkk]

He's always rode coattails, tbh

.Funny how all the great coaches in the NBA had great players to coach, hence the reason their great. Kinda goes hand in hand. Auerbach, Riley, Jackson, and Pop. Amazing huh?

[HI-FI]

I don't think Pop is going anywhere, regardless of what happens this series. He's basically the face of the team now and with his Team USA gig, he's basically tenured and unfirable for his mistakes.

so if Team USA gets beat by some Euro scrubs, Pop will suck Lithuanian in the presser, and if someone criticizes his adjustments, he'll say
"is that a Euro question? They just made more shots than us."

[TheGreatYacht]

.Funny how all the great coaches in the NBA had great players to coach, hence the reason their great. Kinda goes hand in hand. Auerbach, Riley, Jackson, and Pop. Amazing huh?

Great coaches don't choke games as much as Pop has. None come to mind. So either Pop isn't in their class, or it's bad luck.. Hint: it ain't bad luck

[jjktkk]

Great coaches don't choke games as much as Pop has. None come to mind. So either Pop isn't in their class, or it's bad luck.. Hint: it ain't bad luck

Lol, only on ST is Pop considered a bad coach.

[Robz4000]

Lol, only on ST is Pop considered a bad coach.

Some of my friends who casually watch the NBA have started calling Pop out as well tbh. It's become a growing trend the past year, and rightly deserved.

[TheGreatYacht]

Lol, only on ST is Pop considered a bad coach.

Not a bad coach, just not great. A good regular season coach is what he is imo.

[Brazil]

He's the one who put out that bench repeatedly when it hasn't worked. There are other bench players you would've thought would give given a shot way before this point (Martin, Boban). Donovan is putting out Foye mid-series and benching Payne but Pop seemingly doesn't have a clue.

fair enough

[jjktkk]

Some of my friends who casually watch the NBA have started calling Pop out as well tbh. It's become a growing trend the past year, and rightly deserved.

Well there you go, because your casual NBA fans would definitely know a bad coach when they see one.

[HarlemHeat37]

Lol, only on ST is Pop considered a bad coach.

Pop is the greatest coach of all-time IMO, but the people defending his every move are just as bad as those calling him a bad coach, tbh..

It's not just Spurs fans that have been questioning him, btw, even credible people like Bob Voulgaris(pro NBA gambler) have been questioning his decisions since last year's Clippers series..it's quite possible for a coach to suffer a defeat from Father Time, it's not just players, it's human nature to burn out at some point..

[jjktkk]

Not a bad coach, just not great. A good regular season coach is what he is imo.

Then how do explain the five rings then?

[Killakobe81]

Pop is the greatest coach of all-time IMO, but the people defending his every move are just as bad as those calling him a bad coach, tbh..

It's not just Spurs fans that have been questioning him, btw, even credible people like Bob Voulgaris(pro NBA gambler) have been questioning his decisions since last year's Clippers series..it's quite possible for a coach to suffer a defeat from Father Time, it's not just players, it's human nature to burn out at some point..

agreed.
on almost all accounts.

I am partial to Riley just over Pop and Pjax but I grew up on Riles ...
I am obviously biased ...but would take Pop over Phil though ...

[DenialTwist]

Pop is ride or die with an aging big three. He got his rings and doesn't have that same win at all costs mentality.

[TheGreatYacht]

Then how do explain the five rings then?

#21, #50, #9, #20, #2, #12, and some guy called Bob that wore #5

[HarlemHeat37]

agreed.
on almost all accounts.

I am partial to Riley just over Pop and Pjax but I grew up on Riles ...
I am obviously biased ...but would take Pop over Phil though ...

I don't know why people think that coaches don't "decline"..

The game is continuously evolving, coaches need to stay sharp..they have to have the fire and put the work in to stay ahead of the game, to recognize patterns and trends, incorporate new methods and the utilization of technological advantages(usage of data and numbers they didn't have before, etc)..

Pop is 67 years old and has 5 les..the final le was the most satisfying, as he admitted IMO..how does a 67-year old man maintain the motivation to continue after that?(especially a cultured man like Pop, who doesn't live and die by basketball like Thibs, Stevens, etc)..Pop actually has interests outside of basketball, he doesn't have the same hunger he did 15 years ago, you aren't going to see him obsessing over every game and having sleepless nights like Stan Van Gundy

Look at Phil Jackson..the game went by him before he even realized..the Lakers won back-to-back les, yet when Rick Carlisle flipped the script and helped change the style and culture of the entire NBA, going forward, Jackson's Lakers were completely embarrassed and helpless..Phil didn't know what hit him, he didn't have any answers and his career was over, just like that..

The late 2000s Spurs needed to evolve, for instance..they didn't adapt, both stylistically and from a personnel standpoint, they surrounded an aging big 3 with old-ass role players, continuing to play a style of play that was antiquated..Pop put a ton of work in to change the direction of the team, it's been well-do ented and he has spoken about it many times..he's 67 years old now and has won championships with several different styles and roster types..I highly doubt he still has the hunger to do it again, he's just going through the motions..

[jjktkk]

Pop is the greatest coach of all-time IMO, but the people defending his every move are just as bad as those calling him a bad coach, tbh..

It's not just Spurs fans that have been questioning him, btw, even credible people like Bob Voulgaris(pro NBA gambler) have been questioning his decisions since last year's Clippers series..

Its totally fair to question his decisions, because he is stubborn. But posters on here go way overboard about how ty a coach Pop is.[/QUOTE]

it's quite possible for a coach to suffer a defeat from Father Time, it's not just players, it's human nature to burn out at some point..

This is true, but to suddenly just get too old to coach, is a stretch imo, just because of the great season the Spurs have been having until this series.

[HarlemHeat37]

Its totally fair to question his decisions, because he is stubborn. But posters on here go way overboard about how ty a coach Pop is.

This is true, but to suddenly just get too old to coach, is a stretch imo, just because of the great season the Spurs have been having until this series.[/QUOTE]

I don't disagree with any of that, and I still think he's a very good coach, but like you said, he's very stubborn..IMO he's showing his age and reverting to bad habits that we saw in the late 2000s, such as sticking with "his guys"(Michael Finley all over again) even when they are liabilities, or not trusting a player(Splitter all over again) to contribute even when the original choice is completely ting the bed..

The reluctance to allocate big minutes to the most productive players has been the most puzzling move IMO(especially since Aldridge, Kawhi and Green are in their physical prime), even moreso than Mills/Manu/Anderson/Diaw/West being the 2nd most utilized lineup in this series(which I understood at first, since he assumed the Spurs' heralded bench could beat OKC's atrocious bench, but at some point, you have to throw it out the window when it isn't working)..

[spursistan]

Pop is going nowhere, but that spineless assistants crew has be put under the spotlight...

[Killakobe81]

Pop is the greatest coach of all-time IMO, but the people defending his every move are just as bad as those calling him a bad coach, tbh..

It's not just Spurs fans that have been questioning him, btw, even credible people like Bob Voulgaris(pro NBA gambler) have been questioning his decisions since last year's Clippers series..it's quite possible for a coach to suffer a defeat from Father Time, it's not just players, it's human nature to burn out at some point..

and if he is burnt out how does coaching Team USA help?

[Robz4000]

Well there you go, because your casual NBA fans would definitely know a bad coach when they see one.

They don't watch the NBA but most of them have played the sport most of their lives. They prefer to play sports over watching them.