Tag: Gregg Popovich

Spurs sweep sets up match against either Lakers or Thunder (and we’re betting the Thunder)

“I don’t see nobody beating them,” Utah Jazz PF Al Jefferson

The San Antonio Spurs spent the weekend taking care of family business feasting on the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round of the 2012 NBA Playoffs for their second sweep while setting an NBA record as only the 12th team in NBA History to sweep the first two rounds as well as making the Top 10 List of NBA teams with the longest winning streak. But don’t tell Head Coach Gregg Popovich about a streak…he has no idea.

“It doesn’t exist for us,” coach Gregg Popovich said of the team’s 18th win. “We don’t talk about it. I’ve never heard anyone mention it except (in the media). It is not even a thought in our minds. Each game is a separate entity.”

The Spurs used their combination of basketball knowledge, execution and will to overcome a young Clippers squad. One thing for sure is that this Los Angeles team came to play unlike the other remaining Squad, the Lakers. The LA Clippers have played exciting basketball all year; the Lakers are hanging on by a Kobe thread and are one game away from Summer vacation.

“We had a good season,” Paul said. “I think it’s a good sign for our team, but there are no moral victories. It’s not like, ‘Oh, we made it to the playoffs and it’s all good and well.’ We feel like we should still be playing. We’re going to keep working. We’ve got some work to do. We obviously have got to get better.”

Whether the Spurs face the Los Angeles Lakers or the Oklahoma City Thunder, one thing is for sure, this Spurs club is just as good (or better) then their other championship squads and are for sure a much deeper team than those squads

“This year reminds me of when I was here the last time (2003),” said late arrival Stephen Jackson, who came in under the trade deadline. “It is a great team and great guys to be around. Nobody is worried about their personal game and everybody wants to just win. So it is still the same around here.”

The Spurs fly back home today and should arrive to a nice crowd to greet them at the San Antonio International Airport, get back home and watch the Lakers and Thunder beat each other up for the right to face them.

“I don’t see nobody beating them,” Utah Jazz PF Al Jefferson

Spurs named ‘Team of the Decade’ in ESPN the Magazine’s issue that is all about sports franchises

ESPN the Magazine has been ranking all NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL  franchises — there are now 122 of those — each of the past 10 years using a complicated formula that ranks such categories as ownership, coaching, bang for the buck, fan experience and affordability. The magazine judges 25 areas to compile the rankings.

Ranked No 1 in both 2004 and 2006, the Spurs have appeared in the Top 10 each of the 10 years, the only franchise in the Top 10 each year. So it came as no  surprise that the magazine celebrated a decade of its rankings by naming the Spurs its “Team of the Decade.”

The Spurs ranked third in this year’s rankings, behind No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder and No. 2 Green Bay Packers.

The magazine refers to the Spurs as “an old friend” of the franchise rankings, noting that “it excels in just about every category we’ve ever measured.”

The magazine also names Spurs coach Gregg Popovich as its “ultimate coach,” ranking ahead of Ne Englad Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Celtics coach Doc Rivers, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Joe Madden. It also cites what it refers to as the franchises “anonymous architects” of success: Owner Peter Holt, superstar forward Tim Duncan and general manager R.C. Buford.

The  Spurs, the magazine concludes, deserve recognition for “elevating small-market success to an art form.”

“We are once again honored to receive a top ranking in ESPN’s Ultimate Standings,” Rick Pych, president of business operations for Spurs Sports Entertainment, said in a statement released by the club. “The reason this survey means so much to us is very simple: it’s a direct indication of how our fans feel about us. The number one priority of our organization is to provide the best possible fan experience each and every day and treat everyone we touch as family.  The relationship between the Spurs organization, our fans and the San Antonio community is truly extraordinary.”

Veteran Spurs club takes Game 1 from Clippers

Duncan posts another double-double

NBA pundits have long claimed that Spurs PF Tim Duncan is in the twilight of his career.  Don’t tell Tim Duncan that.

Duncan was again his normally spectacularly fundamental self in game 1 of the Western Conference Semi-finals against the Los Angeles Clippers. But fans who actually follow the Spurs know this is nothing new…he’s been doing it for 15 seasons.

“He’s played like that all year long,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich in the post game press conference. “He’s not going to do anything that’s going to be on a highlight film for TV, but a highlight film for coaches possibly. Just being solid, making a great pass, playing the defense that he did; he’s the anchor.”

Clippers PF Kenyon Martin, who faced Duncan in the 2003 NBA Finals as a New Jersey Net has seen it all before.

“Nothing changes about the Spurs,”  Martin said at the post game press conference. “They just keep doing what they do and Duncan does what he does.”

But it is not just the veteran Duncan who is standing out this season.  Coach Popovich has repeatedly said that this is PG Tony Parker’s finest season and  Manu Ginobili credits the coaches for putting together such a deep team.

“We are optimistic,” Manu Ginobili said. “We had a few great additions late in the season to make us even better. Our defense is slowly improving. I think Boris (Diaw) is doing a great job, Tiago (Splitter) too. Stephen Jackson is putting a lot of character in that defense, getting some big boards.  I think we are a little better. But the league is so tough and anybody can beat another team. We’ve got to stay humble and think only on the next opponent. We can’t be thinking now about the Finals, because it wouldn’t help.”

Former Spurs guard and current Clippers head coach can do nothing but agree.

“It’s easy to get guys to talk about their role, but what he does is that he gets guys to accept their role,” Del Negro said. “Everyone knows that Tim,  Manu and Tony drives the ship. He guides it, and the other guys fit their roles and do their jobs. And that’s why I think they’ve had consistent success.”

Whatever the reason for their success, Clippers Center/Forward Blake Griffin has called on his team to step up to the challenge and at least make the Spurs work for it.

“We’ve got to be able to lock down and stop easy baskets and wide-open three’s,” Clippers forward Blake Griffin said. “We’ve got to make it a little tougher on them.”

Be sure to catch Game 2 Thursday night from San Antonio