Spurs: Gregg Popovich hasn't done anything impressive this year

[DMC]

Pop isn't the issue. Being in San Antonio is already a huge setback for a franchise that depends on attracting "at will" players who can live anywhere they want. Nothing wrong with San Antonio, it's just not the quintessential "party" town and if you're not going to be playing alongside the GOAT these days. You're going to be playing alongside fathead and Aldridge with Danny Green and Patty Mills taking major minutes.

You'll win some games, but YOU won't get any real recognition and if you're already good, the Spurs stamp on your luggage doesn't raise your value any since it's considered a "system" franchise where your individual assets weren't as important.

If you're a top 20 player in the league, you want to showcase your talents. You cannot really do that in San Antonio.

Also, I think it weighed on KL heavily last year when Pop benched the starters in the opening round against Memphis. There are some lines you just don't cross, and Pop showed his ass.

[UZER]

Pop isn't the issue. Being in San Antonio is already a huge setback for a franchise that depends on attracting "at will" players who can live anywhere they want. Nothing wrong with San Antonio, it's just not the quintessential "party" town and if you're not going to be playing alongside the GOAT these days. You're going to be playing alongside fathead and Aldridge with Danny Green and Patty Mills taking major minutes.

You'll win some games, but YOU won't get any real recognition and if you're already good, the Spurs stamp on your luggage doesn't raise your value any since it's considered a "system" franchise where your individual assets weren't as important.

If you're a top 20 player in the league, you want to showcase your talents. You cannot really do that in San Antonio.

Also, I think it weighed on KL heavily last year when Pop benched the starters in the opening round against Memphis. There are some lines you just don't cross, and Pop showed his ass.

Plus, if Kawhi is as compe ive as they say, then constant minute restrictions (pre-this year), random benching when he's rolling, and multiple throw away games due to rest probably don't sit well with him either.

In a league full of alphas, Kawhi's trying to prove he's the best player, while his coach is still trying to show everyone how much smarter he is. Pop has admitted he thinks Kawhi should only a average like 22-25 points a game, or close to that. Who the tells an in-their-prime player that? Kawhi is a late bloomer. He didn't have the full offensive reigns like Tim did early on with 4down being called all the time for his first 8 years in the league.

[Robz4000]

Spurs fans turning on Pop because of his political views is pretty hilarious tbh. Baseline Bum is right that being the 3 seed in the West means nothing but there there isn’t a coach out there who’d have them competing with Houston or Golden State so I don’t really get the criticism when he’s coaching them to their ceiling. Even with a weak conference and an easy schedule, there’s no way the average NBA coach would have this team close to a 3 seed. There’s also no valid criticism for last year when the Spurs looked like the one team that had a chance against Golden State before a dirty play.

There might be some bias from growing up in Phoenix watching him undress the Suns in the playoffs every year, but I’ve never seen a coach get more out of players than he has at any level.

I'd agree if this were Pop from 3-4 years ago, but he's been pretty terrible for a few seasons now.

[TDMVPDPOY]

one thing about pop, he always loses against his protégé every h2h game, call it whatever u want, whether its sacrificing or mercy game...a loss is a loss when that game should be a easy win against ur student...fck him handing out free wins

oh yeh, don't get forget that beautiful game, remember when avery Johnson with his small ball madea fool out of him, ever since 06 pop has been trying to implement his own version of small ball from 08-13 trying to win a championship with small ball lineups...wasting multiple picks drafting that pg or perimeter player only to be draft busts and wasting tims final years in the Enrique era

[UZER]

one thing about pop, he always loses against his protégé every h2h game, call it whatever u want, whether its sacrificing or mercy game...a loss is a loss when that game should be a easy win against ur student...fck him handing out free wins

oh yeh, don't get forget that beautiful game, remember when avery Johnson with his small ball madea fool out of him, ever since 06 pop has been trying to implement his own version of small ball from 08-13 trying to win a championship with small ball lineups...wasting multiple picks drafting that pg or perimeter player only to be draft busts and wasting tims final years in the Enrique era

Then he physically molests them at half court after the game with long groping hugs, heavy shoulder rubbing, sweet whispers in their ears, followed by the "Who gives a anyway" fake friendly laugh.

Dude has gotten weird.

[DMC]

Pop could very well overstay his welcome or just hit a bad moment like Sloan did. Someone could Deron Williams him right out of the league. Sometimes you just have to know when to call your masterpiece finished. I think everyone knows by now that what Pop produces will make it to the playoffs most likely, and do well there but not well enough to threaten the contenders on most years. This is especially true now. Tim Duncan ain't walking through that door.

That said, Pop doesn't have the tools to work with anymore. His best days are behind him and he's just marking time doing the same routine and getting the results he's always gotten from that level of talent. Pop doesn't want to go through rebuilding in SA. When they hit bottom, they're going to be there for a little while.

Then again, one name, just one, could simply say "I'm going to San Antonio" and everything changes... just like that. Probably won't happen. Stars admire Pop from a distance, but they don't want to be yelled at and lowered in stature by playing under such a domineering coach who calls every play down the floor.

[TDMVPDPOY]

if spursfans enjoy watching pop finish with top4 record every year, but nothing in the playoffs? u might as well go ask wenger t he wanker to come to the spurs to coach basketball...another wanker at arsenal who keeps on getting his coaching contract renewed cause he can only deliver top4 finishes, but no trophy...20yrs at senal and only 1 trophy to show for it?

[AlexJones]

It's cute reading threads on RealGM and tweets applauding his job in getting SA the 3rd seed that they have by default, tbh

Also, he built the ty roster he's getting credit for coaching, which non-Spurs fans seem to ignore..

In terms of NBA opinions:

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[Spurtacular]

I'd say beating Cavs on the road was impressive; but Pop didn't have to do it with Rec League Parker in the line-up.

[Spurtacular]

In terms of NBA opinions:

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Analytics twitter?

What gambling forums you doing?

[Spurtacular]

Pop could very well overstay his welcome or just hit a bad moment like Sloan did. Someone could Deron Williams him right out of the league.

Not while Buford, Holt are still around.

[lefty]

Arsene Popovich

[140]

Arsene Popovich

[DMC]

Not while Buford, Holt are still around.

Peter isn't in charge anymore and we have no idea what kind of relationship Pop has with the others.

[Spurtacular]

Peter isn't in charge anymore and we have no idea what kind of relationship Pop has with the others.

I still don't think it's a concern.

1. I sat behind the Jazz bench one game. Sloan was quite the hothead all game long. That surprised me. The lore of Pop being a hard ass pales to what Sloan actually was.
2. If the Spurs wouldn't get rid of Pop to keep Kawhi (not saying that is the situation), then I cannot see anyone else coming along with the clout to make that happen.
3. Even if Spurs did pull out the chair from under Pop, he'd have his pick of any championship team basically.
4. He's old and probably doesn't give to much of a and is ready to enjoy the sunset however it comes.

[DMC]

I still don't think it's a concern.

1. I sat behind the Jazz bench one game. Sloan was quite the hothead all game long. That surprised me. The lore of Pop being a hard ass pales to what Sloan actually was.
2. If the Spurs wouldn't get rid of Pop to keep Kawhi (not saying that is the situation), then I cannot see anyone else coming along with the clout to make that happen.
3. Even if Spurs did pull out the chair from under Pop, he'd have his pick of any championship team basically.
4. He's old and probably doesn't give to much of a and is ready to enjoy the sunset however it comes.

Pop is nearing 70. He's committed, at that age, to coaching USA basketball. He's become very vocal in the press regarding politics. While that might garner him some kudos from the liberal media, a large number of their fanbase is from the other side of the aisle and probably neither side wants to hear about politics while watching basketball.

If you hang around long enough, eventually your ticket gets punched. I hope Pop punches his own ticket before that can happen, but it only takes one incident for the media to turn on him. Let one player say Pop made a racist remark at them. Let something come out about the inner workings of the Spurs that isn't completely PC. Let Becky Hammon make an accusation that one of the staff made a move on her. It doesn't have to be Pop, he would be forced to consider resigning.

I don't see any of this happening, but the more times you pull that trigger, the greater the chance of getting a live round.

[Spurtacular]

Pop is nearing 70. He's committed, at that age, to coaching USA basketball. He's become very vocal in the press regarding politics. While that might garner him some kudos from the liberal media, a large number of their fanbase is from the other side of the aisle and probably neither side wants to hear about politics while watching basketball.

If you hang around long enough, eventually your ticket gets punched. I hope Pop punches his own ticket before that can happen, but it only takes one incident for the media to turn on him. Let one player say Pop made a racist remark at them. Let something come out about the inner workings of the Spurs that isn't completely PC. Let Becky Hammon make an accusation that one of the staff made a move on her. It doesn't have to be Pop, he would be forced to consider resigning.

I don't see any of this happening, but the more times you pull that trigger, the greater the chance of getting a live round.

As I just sort of alluded to in another post, I think the NBA takes the non uber-liberal / non snowflake market for granted. And I think really all the leagues for that matter are in that boat to one degree or another. If he was spouting conservative talking points, then he'd be in real trouble.

Also, there is no coach in the NBA with more clout then Pop. Anything is possible, but if anyone is going to feel comfortable, it's him. Perhaps, that's why he's running his mouth all the time; he feels untouchable as long as he's going with the current.

[spurraider21]

In terms of NBA opinions:

Analytics twitter>Gambling forums>Spurstalk>Regular Twitter>RealGM>Youtube comments>>>>>>Reddit

based on your takes you probably spend a lot of time on reddit tbh

[DeRozan m8]

Its amazing Mavs and Laker fans even have the guts to show themselves here hahaha

We haven't reached the lows of their teams in 20 years....even while missing our best player for majority of the season....

EDIT - This Laker fan in here is actually alright, assumed it was one of the other desmonds.

[DJR210]

2003 and 2014 were pretty impressive

I thought 2013 was a good year as well, except for his re ed "we don't play that way in the US " bull about why he didn't call the intentional foul that would have prevented the Ray Allen dagger

[8FOR!3]

I'm extremely frustrating with Pop this year more than ever from a personal perspective. I also think he's questionably extremely arrogant, but from a basketball perspective I don't think I'm that disappointed with the job he's done. He has thus far mended the Aldridge bridge, we're at the moment still a winning team, and I think he's made some decent lineup decisions. I really don't see where anyone's frustration with him as a coach is right now, do you really expect us to be a 50+ win team without Kawhi? I think he's bringing along the younger guys like Murray/Kyle/Bertans just fine and has finally started giving them bigger opportunities because with Kawhi's injury and Parker's aging it has worked out that way.

[DAF86]

I'm extremely frustrating with Pop this year more than ever from a personal perspective. I also think he's questionably extremely arrogant, but from a basketball perspective I don't think I'm that disappointed with the job he's done. He has thus far mended the Aldridge bridge, we're at the moment still a winning team, and I think he's made some decent lineup decisions. I really don't see where anyone's frustration with him as a coach is right now, do you really expect us to be a 50+ win team without Kawhi? I think he's bringing along the younger guys like Murray/Kyle/Bertans just fine and has finally started giving them bigger opportunities because with Kawhi's injury and Parker's aging it has worked out that way.

Bertans seems like is going back to the dog house.