Gregg Popovich was asked if there is a secret formula for the franchise's almost unfathomable run of excellence.
"Yes there is," said Popovich, in typical deadpan fashion. "Get the No. 1 pick in the draft every 10 years and make sure that it's a franchise player. That's the formula. That's how lucky you have to be. You've got David (Robinson) for a decade and then Timmy (Duncan) comes. Well, I think most anybody could build around that."
Of course, Popovich is oversimplifying. What the Spurs have created is a program unlike any other in the league, one built on the willingness of three stars to take less money, band together and establish a culture and a pecking order under their no-nonsense coach.
"Everybody knows their secrets," Minnesota Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman said. "It doesn't do you any good, though."
One could argue the Spurs no longer have a Big Three, but a Big Four. Leonard has delivered a career season and is the heir apparent to Duncan's throne. The Spurs are 54-14 when Leonard plays this season.
"He really made a big step forward in the last two months of the season and hopefully he keeps getting better for the playoffs," Ginobili said.
I'm actually rooting for the Spurs to come out of the west. I can't believe I'm actually saying that, but the alternatives and the respect I've got for them have pushed me to that pt.
Spurs in 5 here.
“Kobe had said (after the play) I wasn’t hugged enough as a child,” Bell recalled. “My mom kind of found him after the instance and we had beat them and offered him a hug in the bowels of the Phoenix arena. She really feels a part of that story.”
I guess I'm rooting for SA, it's just every time I watch Leonard play I'm pissed we didn't draft him because Blanks was annoyed he didn't come work out for us. So what you daft idiot! Sigh.
Anyone else think Rick Carlise is a bit underrated as a coach?
Solid X's and O's guy. Unfortunately Dallas doesn't match up well with SA.
“Kobe had said (after the play) I wasn’t hugged enough as a child,” Bell recalled. “My mom kind of found him after the instance and we had beat them and offered him a hug in the bowels of the Phoenix arena. She really feels a part of that story.”
Parker is torching Dallas' defense off screens (San Antonio's two man game is simply magnificent), yet the Mavs are up by one at halftime after scoring just 12 in the first Q. Devin Harris and the rest of their bench has been huge.
San Antonio's execution is just so good. If they have the game close in the last 2-3 minutes, they will calmly out-execute you into the ground and win by 3-5 points. That's what they do. They're lethal.
