Popovich: Defense slowly improving
By Mike Monroe - Express-News


WASHINGTON, D.C. — Always anxious for signs his players are getting more comfortable with a defensive scheme that has undergone a few changes this season, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on Thursday had to curb his enthusiasm about one of his team's most dominant defensive stretches of the season.

Asked by TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager — who was outfitted in a shiny, black suit speckled with white dots — what the key had been to holding the Miami Heat to 13 points in a quarter while forcing seven turnovers, Popovich deadpanned: “I think they were looking at your suit.”

In fact, Popovich is encouraged that the Spurs' defense appears to be improving incrementally.

“Slowly, but surely, our defense is getting better,” he said afterwards. “We're not where we want to be and we've got a ways to go, but it's a willing crew and they are learning and reacting to each other better and better all the time.

“Our defense is better than it was a month ago; our recognition offensively, the communication. A month ago it was probably a three. Now it's probably a 51/2 or a six. It's going in the right direction.”

Moving up: Power forward Tim Duncan, a All-Star starter in each of the past 10 All-Star Games, moved from fourth to third in the most recent tabulation of fan voting for starters for the Feb. 14 All-Star Game, to be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

Duncan, more productive thus far this season than last, had 685,930 votes in the latest tabulation, easing past the Lakers' Pau Gasol (667,767). He also gained on the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki, who was second with 753,971. Denver's Carmelo Anthony leads all Western forwards with 1,410,356.

Duncan got an endorsement from Popovich, who expressed amazement at his star's production through the first 30 games.

“He's been our best and most consistent player all year long,” Popovich said. “His night-to-night-to-night play has been very good. It's like he hasn't missed a beat.

“He doesn't have all the physical skills he had eight, 10 years ago, but when you look at him play right now and see the production at the end of the game, you think it's the same guy. It's a real tribute to how he takes care of himself over the summers and how he maintains, day to day.”