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terrible timing for this article's release, tbh..
The Western Conference logjam would have been bad enough if the defending NBA champs had looked like themselves from the start.
But no, Gregg Popovich and his San Antonio Spurs just had to start slow, just had to have all those injuries that made them look so mediocre and put them in the back of the unreal playoff race in which the fourth-place Portland Trail Blazers and seventh-place Spurs entered Tuesday separated by only two games. And now, with the Spurs having won 11 of their past 15 games and Popovich declaring that they're only getting started, there's this frightening possibility for the rest of the West: This Tim Duncan-led version of the Spurs that has been dominating for most of 18 seasons now may not be nearing its end after all.
Article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...onio/22814677/
If anything, Popovich said, he could wind up walking away before Duncan. Popovich signed a five-year contract extension last summer, but admitted that the length was a product of owner Peter Holt's desires more than it was his own.
"It's a five-year contract, but the chances of staying for five years I don't think are very good," Popovich said.
YIKES
Let's get healthy already,,,
It takes everything in his power not to just call it quits and go drink wine all day.
I think he does that anyways
He also talks about why he dislikes the in-game interviews
Q: So people were asking me all week why your style was considered any different than Marshawn’s. I’ve got my own opinion, but how do you see it?
A: The only time I’m uncooperative is the end of the first or third quarter. Other than that, I do interviews and laugh it up with everybody all the time. I just have a philosophical difference with the NBA, and I let them know it every time. But that’s like 1% of the interviews that I do.
Q: Have you argued to have those after-quarter interviews eliminated?
A: Oh, Sure. , I bring it up every year at the head coaches meeting in Chicago, when all the head coaches are there and TNT and ESPN and all the representatives. I raise my hand every year, and I say, “Well guys, you know what I’m going to say. I don’t understand why we have to do this, to subject the coaches and the questioners to this little period of idiocy. They (the TV people) are in our timeouts the entire game. They have cameras in our timeouts. They hear everything we say. They have microphones and they can use anything they want — you know, we trust them. So if they have total access like that, this end of first and third quarter actually takes us away from our job.” And that’s my philosophical difference with them.
I said, “I’m supposed to be setting the defense and offense to start the next quarter, and I can’t do my job because I’m doing this inane deal with whoever is asking me a question.” The questions are unanswerable. It’s like, “That quarter, you got killed on the boards. What are you going to do about it?.” “Well, I’m going to conduct a trade during timeouts.” Or, “I’m going to ask them nicely to do a better job on the boards.” The questions just demand a trite quip, or something, so I just say, “You know, it just puts everybody in a stupid position.” And (NBA officials) listen to it, and then they go, “Yeah, well (blabbering).” And then they don’t do anything about it. So I just do what I do.
Q: Have you given up yet as far as trying to get those interviews eliminated or do you just keep fighting?
A: Oh yeah. I’m going to say it every year. I do it, and then … two, three four times it’ll come up, and I’ll say I don’t agree with the NBA. They don’t need it. It’s superfluous. It’s awkward for the questioner. It puts the coach in a position where he looks ignorant or trite, or that “Well, one game at a time stuff,” or “Well, we’ll try to do better this quarter. Maybe we’ll shoot better.” It’s just — it makes no sense. You can’t answer a question in 10 seconds. You can’t do it. I’ve gotten to the point where I have fun with them now. It’s part humor, part sarcasm. If I have a questioner who’s really kind of fun, then we really have a good time. Like (TNT’s Craig) Sager or somebody.
Full article: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/02/nba-...omment-sarcasm
Having tim next year would be amazing...but it's only going to work with Tiago playing at the same level he played last year when he would play over Tim...
But with this Current Tiago, the spurs need another big man..
And I disagree with Pop..
I think Manu is having a great year despite the struggles..
Not the most consistent big 3, sure, but he's been the best among the big 3 in the last 15 games....
Dont let kool see this .
Funny thing is his responses during these between quarter interviews have increased the entertainment value of these segments. Who doesn't know Pop's reputation because of it? The national networks even play up to it now. He has added to his fame by the way he does these interviews. It's his schtick. He may say he hates them, and he very well may, but I also think sometimes he really enjoys the wit and the banter with the interviewer.
If Manu is having such a bad year why is Pop continuing to play him? Surely there would be other guys to replace him with.
Manu is actually playing really really well, i think that is just an attempt to light a fire under the entire teams ass
Apart from the cliched spin, there's actually some interesting news here straight from Pop's (normally tight-lipped) mouth.
About Duncan's future:
Those quotes are actually news if you're trying to figure out what Duncan may do."No matter how (the season) ends, I think Timmy is going to look at (retirement) again," Popovich told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday. "And if you ask me, my guess is that he'll go for another one because he has been so consistent this season.
"It's just consistent stuff: another double-double, over and over and over again. Because of that, I think in his mind that if it continues through the rest of the year, I think he'll say, 'I'm going to go another year and see what happens.' Because what he has told me is that the minute he feels like he's a hindrance to his team or he's not on the positive end or helping him, he's going to walk right off the court. It might be during the third quarter of a game.
"He's not going to hang on to finish a contract or make the money or have the notoriety that you know he doesn't give a (expletive) about. So the way he's playing now, he's going to look in the mirror and say, 'Hey, I'm doing all right.' "
Pop's comments on his future are also telling.
More interesting info . . ."It's a five-year contract, but the chances of staying for five years I don't think are very good," Popovich said.
Pop or a Harlem troll, I wonder who has a better basketball mind... Maybe Pop actually understands basketball is more than a Bayesian regression algorithm. Today's analysts suffer from mathiness.
The stallion is injured, and it doesn't help that he loves Manu.
Two reasons:
1) The only people to play instead of Ginobili are Beli, who is injured and terrible, or more of the Cojo/Mills combo, which is awkward and undersized against 80% of the wing rotations in the NBA.
2) Like it or not, the Spurs need Ginobili to be some semblance of the Ginobili he was last season if they are going to repeat. (You remember...the one who hit the game-saving three in OKC in Game 6 and dunked all over Ray Allen to spark the team in Game 5.) Manu's troubles don't seem to be all physical...they are mental. Pop strapping him to the bench through the regular season will not fix that.
The Spurs are playing good. However that isn't enough to repeat as Champions. They'll have to step their game up and start rolling over teams. Or a number of younger hungrier western conference teams will be more than happy to take their place in the Western finals...
Kawhi just needs to watch The Beautiful Game again. Passing is the way to a championship
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