Sports

Gregg Popovich never thought about tanking the Spurs

Gregg Popovich simply may have led his workforce down a path and tanked throughout the second half of the season.

It’s not laborious to argue that it might have been helpful for him and the San Antonio Spurs in the long term to have completed so, too.

But on Sunday night time, forward of their closing sport of the common season, Popovich stated that was merely by no means an possibility for him.

“A part of it’s, it’s simply not who we’re. It’s not who I’m,” Popovich stated, via Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News. “I can’t function like that. Which could not be essentially the most clever total philosophy to have, and I get that. However we am who we am. We’re going to go forward and compete.”

After a tricky begin to the season, the Spurs rallied and secured the ultimate spot within the postseason play-in match earlier this month. That, paired with the Lakers’ late-season struggles, acquired Popovich again within the play-in for the second straight 12 months. They’ve gone 7-3 of their final 10 video games, too, and can tackle the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night time.

That run, with a really younger roster that doesn’t have a real star like most of Popovich’s earlier groups, is undoubtedly spectacular. Getting them to that time, although, was the one factor he was keen to do.

“I feel the younger gamers acquire an actual understanding of a philosophically ethical house the place it’s the best factor to do, to proceed to compete,” Popovich stated. “Frankly, I don’t know the way I might go to my workforce and say, ‘OK guys, we’re not going to compete the way in which we must always,’ or the way you’d get that throughout, or with a wink and a nod. I feel you do the gamers a disservice in the event that they’re not capable of exit and carry out at the perfect of their skill.

“I feel the teachings to be discovered are crucial as their careers advance. You hope that in the long term, that worth they acquire from that may assist them compete at an excellent greater degree later. I perceive the alternative, I simply can’t do it.”

Whereas Popovich’s mindset is a noble one, it’s not one which’s essentially common throughout the remainder of the league.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been making an attempt to curb taking or the strategic resting of star gamers for years. He spoke about it earlier this month, too, and truly credited the play-in match as one of many issues to assist cease groups from tanking in an effort to get a lottery decide within the draft.

Although Popovich possible has loads of concepts that would assist form the way forward for the league, he’s maintaining them to himself for now. Silver, he stated, has issues underneath management.

“Adam and his employees are fairly sensible individuals,” Popovich stated, via ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “If there was a silver bullet in that regard, they might have already shot it.”

Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs talks with his player Keldon Johnson

Gregg Popovich stated he by no means considered tanking as an possibility for the Spurs this season. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photographs)



Source link

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button