Author: katadmin

ESPN’s Uni Watch ranks Spurs 2nd in NBA, 16th overall

As if the Spurs haven’t enjoyed enough success over the years, they’ve earned recognition from ESPN’s Uni Watch blog for looking good while doing it. The Silver and Black’s uniforms are and among North American professional sports franchises, according to Uni Watch’s Power Rankings. Paul Lukas writes:

The Raiders aren’t the only team that knows how to wear silver and black. In addition to the killer colors, the Spurs are also among the few NBA teams that have successfully incorporated a graphic image into their chest typography — a small element that goes a long way. Kinda wish they’d go back to the scoop-neck collar instead of the V-neck, but that’s a minor complaint.

It’s a very well-deserved spot for a simple, elegant uniform with just a hint of style thanks to the aforementioned graphic image. Which, as we’ve , isn’t always easy to pull off.

Not that the Spurs haven’t had any missteps along the way. There were those walking-TV-dinner silver alternates, and the ridiculous that only underscored doubts about the Spurs’ manhood during their many playoff prat falls in the 1990s.

But for the most part, it’s hard to beat not only the colors, which they were wearing long before black became such a ubiquitous presence in pro sports, but the clean execution, especially with the new logo. My personal favorite are these dating back to the days of George Gervin.

Spurs In the Head of their Opponents

Tye Corbin, the young Head Coach for the Utah Jazz, has plenty of NBA experience and even has in depth experience with the San Antonio Spurs since they were the team that drafted him into the NBA as the 35th overall selection in the 2nd round of the 1985 draft.  Corbin spent his first two seasons with the Silver and Black before signing on with the Cleveland Cavaliers (and nine teams after the Cavs) before ending his 11 year career.

Still, Corbin experienced a panic attack before game 1 against his former team.

“I felt fine right up to the beginning of the game, and then the jitters started,” he said.  “I started thinking: ‘Are we ready? Did we cover everything? Are the combinations right? Is the lineup right? Do the players understand everything?’ It just started spinning like that.”

The Spurs are hoping that the Jazz pick up on that for, if the top man is in doubt…

“I’ll have to get better,” he said. “Make sure I’m relaxed.”

The Spurs, meanwhile, have no such problems with their head man.  Popovich is one of the most savvy coaches in the NBA and such things just don’t happen to him once he takes the court.  For Popovich, this is just another chapter in a long history of Spurs playoff basketball.

Still, don’t expect the Jazz to just lay down and die.

“It’s just one game,” Jazz Point Guard Devin Harris said after their 106-91 loss in Game 1.

While that may be true, what is even more true  is that the Spurs have proven playoff experience having been in the Western Conference playoffs 22 of the last 23 seasons with four NBA Championships to show for it.

What is even more unfortunate for the Jazz is that SG Manu Ginobili is 100% healthy and the possibility of another first round meltdown such as the one against Memphis last season is highly unlikely to repeat itself and, you can guarantee the Spurs have yet to forget about it.

“Everybody knows what happened last year,” PG Tony Parker said. “Everybody is motivated.”

Still, the young coach for this young Jazz squad should  look at this loss as a learning experience and learn from it as the Spurs did trying to get over the hump with the Lakers throughout the 80’s.

“They just know what it takes to put you away,” said Ty Corbin. “They don’t just play guys. The guys they put on the floor are very effective at what they do.”

Effective, yes. Happened overnight, no.

 

 

 

 

Udoka eager for next chapter

Isiah Thomas was the first to plant the seed. Nate McMillan helped water it. When Gregg Popovich echoed the sentiment, suggesting to Ime Udoka two years ago that he might consider going into coaching once his playing days were over, a retirement plan was hatched to fruition.

“Pop told me, ‘I hope I get a chance to hire you some day,’ ” Udoka said. “That made the decision to stop playing a lot easier.”

This week, Popovich got his wish. Udoka, who last played in the NBA in January 2011 with the Spurs, was hired as the team’s newest assistant coach, the first step in a a new career path the 35-year-old former small forward has been plotting for several years.

A veteran of 316 games over seven NBA seasons, parts of three of which were spent in San Antonio, Udoka joins a Spurs coaching staff depleted by the loss of Jacque Vaughn (Orlando head coach) and Don Newman (Washington lead assistant).

Because Vaughn’s spot on the staff was considered “extra,” created specially for him when he became available in 2009, Udoka — a 35-year-old coaching rookie — is expected to be the team’s only bench hire this offseason.

“I ran into Pop in Las Vegas during Summer League (in July),” said Udoka, a Portland native. “He let me know the deal with Jacque, that he was probably leaving. He told me a good opportunity might be there (in San Antonio).”

Udoka joins a staff that includes a pair of longtime Popovich assistants, Mike Budenholzer and Brett Brown.

Though new to the coaching game, Udoka believes his varied NBA experiences — with stops as different as San Antonio and Sacramento — have prepared him for a variety of situations.

From his previous stint with the Spurs, Udoka learned the value of meticulous preparation.

“Taking care of your own business, that’s one thing you learn with Pop,” Udoka said. “If you have pride and just do what you do, you’ll be successful, whether the shots fall on any given night or not.”

In a press release announcing the hire, Popovich praised Udoka’s “outstanding work ethic” and “a natural inclination to teach.”

Thomas, who coached Udoka in summer league and for eight games of 2005-06 season with the Knicks, was the first to put the coaching bug in Udoka’s head.

“He said, ‘You don’t score 20 points a game, but the young guys seem to respect you and respond to you,’ ” Udoka said.

Since his retirement in 2011, Udoka had been living in Los Angeles, where his girlfriend, actress Nia Long, and their 9-month old son reside. The Spurs’ history as a proving ground for future NBA head coaches helped lure Udoka back to the game he loves.

“You see their family tree all over the league,” Udoka said. “It’s a great opportunity. You know they’ll help you develop.”