Familiar process: Spurs lose again, right on schedule
Buck Harvey
San Antonio Express-News
Mike Brown sits in a small room in the visitor's locker room, and he has one postgame assignment: Imagine what is going on at the other end of the AT&T Center.
Brown should know. He once sat over there, too, as one of Gregg Popovich's assistants.
Brown says: "I'm thinking Pop's unhappy, because he really doesn't like to lose. But I think he's happy, too."
Really?
Brown smiles. "He has everything right where he wants it," he says.
That's the status of today's Popovich. He has 601 wins, four les and zero pressure.
Other coaches would feel some heat after losing as Popovich did Thursday. Then, at home and on TNT, the Spurs lost their sixth straight to a team with a winning record.
Ten years ago fans would have called for his head. Five years ago Phil Jackson would have made fun of him. And just a year ago, when the Spurs had about the same record, San Antonio wondered whether the Spurs would get past the first round.
Then the Mavericks were lapping the field while the Spurs looked older then than they do now. As they prepared for their Rodeo Road Trip, didn't signs suggest they could come home in sixth place in the Western Conference, if not seventh?
Brown hears this, and he smiles again.
"I believe in Pop's process," Brown says. "You peak early and you gas out."
Brown's Cavaliers have won three in a row and are beginning a run of their own. But they have an excuse for starting slow; two players in their rotation held out.
Popovich, instead, brought back the same group. So how could he create The Process? How could he ensure the Spurs wouldn't be too good too early, then not listen to him go over the details again?
Minor injuries to the Big Three helped him this season, as did the Detroit Pistons. Popovich did the rest, and he was at it again Thursday.
Then the NBA Finals were replayed, albeit with a twist. These teams were good enough to work last June, but Thursday night's refs were not.
At times Brown and Popovich argued with different officials at the same time, and Tim Duncan stayed on the floor afterward to say a few words. The play that deserves a slo-mo replay: LeBron James, clocked at 101 again, headbutting Fab Oberto and not getting the charge.
But sometimes a brutal game can be fun, and this one was. Boobie Gibson threw in a clutch three, and everyone clawed for rebounds, and Manu Ginobili just front-rimmed the tying shot at the buzzer.
Had the Finals only been as entertaining.
But Popovich subs uted as if he wants everyone to get a letter as a senior. For example, the same Matt Bonner who played only six minutes the previous game didn't play in the first half — yet started the second half. Then he played another six minutes before sitting down for good.
Was Thursday a national television game, or the final scrimmage of a three-month training camp?
Popovich admits to all of it. "I'm getting closer to trying to figure out who I want to play and who the main guys in the rotation are going to be and all that," Popovich said Thursday. "I'm really looking forward to the Rodeo Road Trip to finally nail it all down, because we really have been all over the map. Part is injuries. Part is our usual routine, trying to figure it out each year."
His usual routine isn't easy. Twelve of the Spurs' next 14 games are on the road, and the two home games in that stretch are no gimmes, either: the Lakers and Hornets.
At Utah, Phoenix and Boston will press them, as will the finale. At Cleveland.
Brown will be waiting for the Spurs there, and he won't be surprised if he sees a different Spurs team then. "Knowing Pop, he thinks his team is just fine. But knowing how he works, he wants them to play hard and compete — and then start taking the steps they always take."
So what did Thursday give Popovich?
"Ammunition," Brown said. "He can coach them now."
Tomorrow, when the door to the charter jet closes for the beginning of this road stretch, Popovich gets what he asked for.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/c...s.2ff5114.html
Good article. Harvey hit the nail on the head regarding what Pop is trying to do. He causes chaos with odd lineups and minute distributions, knocks down the ego of the team a bit and then builds it back up during the stretch run.
It's a risky strategy but it's worked four other times for this team. One of these years the revving of the engines won't happen and the Spurs will just continue the downward fall. All you can do as a Spurs fan is hope it's not this year and believe in the process.
always loved buck harvey, should be writing for yahoo sports nationally.
and i love pop. lol
Popovich admits to all of it. "I'm getting closer to trying to figure out who I want to play and who the main guys in the rotation are going to be and all that," Popovich said Thursday. "I'm really looking forward to the Rodeo Road Trip to finally nail it all down, because we really have been all over the map. Part is injuries. Part is our usual routine, trying to figure it out each year."
I told you, spurs peaked too early (17-3) and now they are gas-out
so long... good bye...
thats why the steped back a lil on purpose
One of the better articles I've read in a while...
That hits on Pop having ammunition to get his team going, the trimming down of the rotation, and the horrible reffing during yesterday's game.
My guess is Pop uses the very early season to verify what the Spurs potential might be - to uncover glaring weaknesses; then he knocks the team down for a while - and ultimately beginst to rebuild.
17-3 to start, 8-9 since then; looks like maybe breaking it down into quarters?
Sounds funny huh?
Like he would just toying with the leauge.
ITA it's like boot camp or pledging a fraternity...you go through a "process" that makes you better in the end. sometimes you have to "create" obstacles to get everyone on the same page. CIA Pop!
pack your bags. we are going on the road!
I don't think Pop is losing on purpose.
It's the injuries that have been nagging and crippling the Spurs as of late. Tony Parker just looks like an uncoordinated spaz out there.
Well he's a much better pg than anything the LAKERS got!
Speaking of which, do you think the Lakers will make the playoffs?
They're currently five games ahead of the Jazz, and looking at their BRUTAL schedule coming up, I think its a fair question.
The Lakers (just like LAST YEAR) rode a home friendly schedule to a good start, but now they'll come PLUMMETING back down to earth, yes?
Lakers are D-O-N-E!
Well he's a much better pg than anything the LAKERS got!
Speaking of which, do you think the Lakers will make the playoffs?
They're currently five games ahead of the Jazz, and looking at their BRUTAL schedule coming up, I think its a fair question.
The Lakers (just like LAST YEAR) rode a home friendly schedule to a good start, but now they'll come PLUMMETING back down to earth, yes?
Lakers are D-O-N-E!
Someone forgot to logout of their troll account...
I looked at this guy's post history and its quite comical.
He pretends to be an unbiased Spurs fans but yet can't stop glossing the Lakers.
My favorite was when he debated with you guys about how the Lakers from the early part of this decade were far superior to the current Spurs...
Check it out!!
It goes on and on and on about why the Lakers were so superior to the team he loves so much!! He argues with you guys endlessly but real Spurs fans are completely clueless!
What a coward! Can't even admit which team he supports.
Want more? His responses to move Lakers vs. Spurs talk...
See it here.
Or is his answer to "who would you start a team with....Lebron, Kobe or Duncan"
Link
What a tool.
So, the Spurs are sucking on purpose? Nice PR. I am sure Tony missed the FT's on purpose, too. I am sure people who spend thousands of dollars on season tickets are thrilled to hear it, too.
Damn Straight!
It is stupid to think that they are sucking on purpose and they do not play on purpose..Tim Duncan is yelling at officials after game is over and most people here are thinking players are taking it easy. Tim has played 40 minutes last night..If Pop wants to take it easy, he would not have played him for 40 minutes..It is just that they are playing badly but not on purpose..This year most of the teams in West has got improved or gap has reduced. One day you will be at the top and the next day you are at 6th. If spurs continue to play bad for some more time, there might not be time to recover.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
