Tag: In the News

Raptors big man idolizes Tim Duncan

Not surprising: Toronto center — or centre, as it were — Aaron Gray grew up idolizing Spurs great Tim Duncan.

Somewhat surprising: Duncan knew exactly who Gray was when the latter introduced himself to the former during his rookie season with Chicago during the 2007-08 season.

(Keep in mind that Gray, a second-round pick out of Pitt, had appeared in all of about 20 NBA games to this point, while Duncan was coming off his fourth championship.)

Gray explains:

I tried saying hello to him and he said, ‘What’s up, Aaron?’ I was kind of taken aback, just because he knew my name. It was a super cool experience.

On second thought, should we really be surprised that Duncan would know who Gray was? You can read at National Post.com.

dmccarney@express-news.net

Twitter: @danmccarneySAEN

Popovich named NBA’s best coach in landslide

























































<!– –>

By Dan McCarney

Coming off his second NBA Coach of the Year award, Gregg Popovich has added another honor to his résumé — landslide selection as the league’s best coach in an anonymous survey of general managers.

Popovich took 80 percent of the vote, according to NBA.com. It marked the fourth time in the past six years he’s finished atop the poll, which is conducted annually.

Popovich also finished first in the categories of best people manager/motivator and making the best in-game adjustments.

He took second in best offensive and defensive schemes, tying Minnesota coach Rick Adelman in the former category.

Popovich’s lead deputy, Mike Budenholzer, was named the league’s second-best assistant coach, finishing narrowly behind Brian Shaw of Indiana. Colleague Brett Brown also received a vote.

Multiple Spurs players were recognized across a broad array of categories:

– Kawhi Leonard — tied for second, player most likely to have a breakout season.

– Tim Duncan — tied for second, highest basketball IQ; tied for third, best leader; also received votes, best power forward; also received votes, toughest player.

– Manu Ginobili — third, best at moving without the ball; sixth, highest basketball IQ; also received votes, best shooting guard; also received votes, best international player; also received votes, toughest player.

– Tony Parker — fourth, best point guard; also received votes, best international player; also received votes, fastest with the ball.

– Tiago Splitter — also received votes, international player most likely to have a breakout season.

– Matt Bonner — also received votes, makes the most of limited natural ability.

– Danny Green — also received votes, makes the most of limited natural ability.

The Spurs tied with Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers as the fourth-most entertaining team to watch.

Despite being a nearly unanimous pick to win the Southwest Division — general managers cannot select their own team or players — the Spurs did not receive any votes to win the Western Conference.

The Miami Heat were picked by 21 of 30 GMs to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. GMs have successfully predicted five of the last 10 champions, including San Antonio in 2004-05 and 2006-07.

dmccarney@express-news.net
Twitter: @danmccarneySAEN

Danny Green’s summer vacation

Not to stereotype, but antique shopping would not seem to be high on the list of summer activities for a young NBA player having just signed a multi-million dollar contract on the heels of his breakout season.

(Can you imagine, say, DeMarcus Cousins scouring shops for the perfect 18th-century French armoire to set off his guest bedroom?)

That was one of the many things Spurs guard Danny Green did during a busy summer vacation in which he bought a home, vacationed in the Canary Islands, picked up boxing and headed to Moscow for an event with NBA’s Basketball Without Borders, where he also took time to take in the sights and, of course, shop.

: “Not many crazy, interesting things happened during these trips, but it was good to experience different cultures. They do many things differently over there, such as using different terminology when measuring distance, height, weight, temperature, etc. I had a great opportunity to sightsee a lot in Russia and shop for antiques.”

Will be curious to ask the always-affable Danny about what he picked up. (Shipping costs from Moscow have to be ridiculous.)

Also included in the piece are Chase Budinger, Jimmer Fredette, Reggie Jackson and Mo Williams. Fredette had the best anecdote, recounting how he realized that the shoes he was signing for a young fan were actually a pair he’d thrown into the dumpster behind his dorm during his freshman year at BYU.

dmccarney@express-news.net

Twitter: