Gregg Popovich rips state of NBA after loss to Knicks

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Gregg Popovich rips state of NBA after loss to Knicks



Gregg Popovich’s Spurs fought the Knicks down to the wire on Wednesday night, but couldn’t get enough stops in a 117-114 loss that saw both sides have their struggles on the defensive end.

Both teams shot 50 percent from the floor, while Jalen Brunson poured in 38 points, a career high for the regular season. Popovich praised Brunson after the game, but also called out the state of the NBA.


“It's much more difficult to play defense,” Popovich said. “I’m just hoping the league ends up with a 4-point shot or a 5-point shot so we can make it a real circus. Then it’ll be a different sport. It won’t even be basketball, it’ll just be a bunch of crap.”

This is far from the first time Popovich has criticized the modern look of the game and the heavy reliance on the 3-pointer, and eye-opening sentiment from one of the most accomplished head coaches in the sport. For Boomer Esiason, it was another piece of evidence that the league may actually benefit from doing away with the 3-point shot.

“Here’s one of your great basketball coaches of all time basically telling you that this thing is basically a circus already,” Boomer said.


Bob


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He's got a couple of great points we've touched on here about defense and circus.  And pretty much there is no counter argument.  Unfortunately, the rest of the world will look at him as just an old wise guy (literally and figurately) mouthing off that needs to ride off into the sunset, shut the eff up and let the new world order take over.  It's just not cool to listen to old people and soak in all the knowledge and advice they have accumulated from experience.  It never has. I never took the time to really listen to my dad and after 21 years of his absence from this world I still wish daily he was here so I could spend all my time around him and what knowledge he gathered and accumulated over his life that he would willingly share with me if I had had the vision while he was still alive. It would have made my life a helluva lot easier. Same with my mother and she is alive and will be 86 on Wednesday. But she has latter stage dementia/Alzheimer's and can't stop asking the same questions over and over and over again. So her knowledge and wisdom has been eroding and has eroded away from her every minute. Possibly sounds familiar?  It may or should.  Lots of layers to that onion.  Too much to unpack here.

With all due respect, I don't think Pop sees that the league is swinging in a range to a norm with the 2-point vs. 3-point shot selection.  And there is a happy medium.  The analytics will force that out.  You can't shoot all 3's or all 2's all the time.  Right now it's all threes but those lead to more misses leading to fast breaks, etc.  So you can't shoot those all the time.  Same with 2's.  Right now, if they look at the numbers, teams are shooting in the 60% range on 2-point shots.  (I know we are) But you can't shoot those all the time either since you would have wind open practice threes all the time and you get an extra point.  With no one on you just like when you practice, those numbers go up as well.  

Additionally, it sounds like it is getting about time for Pop to hang it up.  Those comments were one of desperation and giving up, although that may just be this season wearing him down and not a horizon sun-setting observation.  Expect his announcement from him at the end of this season.  I'd be surprised if he came back for another round.  More power to him if he does.  

Great article, though.  You do have to give the NBA credit.  They are trying different things every year to keep the game interesting.  It takes a lot of creativity to keep this league going with so many viewing options.  This year they unleashed a plethora of scoring with the take foul not only from giving the league the fast break back, but other benefits like overall pace, etc.  And I don't even think that was the original intent.  More of an added surprise benefit.  More like, "Oh crap!  I didn't think about that would result from this move!!"  

A lot of the Celtic championship teams thrived on the track meet and shortened shot clock mentality, i.e. shoot early and often.  They didn't have the 3-point shot for most or our championships but their scores were up there around where they are now.  

Anyway, it will be interesting what we see coming out of San Antonio around the end of April/early May.

db

Db,
I agree with Pop. Its becoming a circus. Leave the damn game alone.
His age does have something to do with his thoughts. He’s been around, has the experience and has WON numerous titles.
The Narrative of times passing one by is lazy. They only say that about folks who have been doing it a long time.
I’d trust them more than id trust a wisecracking cocky 34 yr old.

I have been saying for awhile that the league should limit the number of shots worth 3 points. Teams can still shoot from distance, but only a certain number of those would be worth 3 points. After that number is reached, each shot would be worth 2 points. In addition to preventing the game from morphing entirely into a distance shooting competition, it would add a new layer of strategy. Teams/coaches would have to strategize about when to most effectively use the 3. Do you just take them when they're open? Do you save some in case you need to come back fast? Who takes them now that there are only a finite number available?

If you remember i'm on record for a long time about this league becoming a circus. I agree with Greg Popovich 100%.Too many 3s attempts , lack of basic fundaments , like box out your opponents, passing the ball while in the air, overstated follow through shooting the 3. lots of turnovers stteping on the outside line and many others.

DBrown,

"Expect his announcement from him at the end of this season.  I'd be surprised if he came back for another round."

That's what I said after his wife of many, many years died a few years back.  I'm inclined to agree with you, although I also think that Pop gets enjoyment in his role of "curmudgeon", but all bets are off if they get Wembanyama.


Bob


.

international wrote:If you remember i'm on record for a long time about this league becoming a circus. I agree with Greg Popovich 100%.Too many 3s attempts , lack of basic fundaments , like box out your opponents, passing the ball while in the air, overstated follow through shooting the 3. lots of turnovers stteping on the outside line and many others.

Hi International,

Nice to see you.


Bob


.

You can either join the party or stay home.

The 3 pointer has changed the way the game is played. If a team can excell in the 3 point game but also execute traditional offensive schemes they will win.  Defending against the 3 ball becomes the top strategy for teams as they want to win the 3 ball battle.  Make more than the other team.

It is what it is.  The game has changed and you can either change with it or lose.

dboss wrote:You can either join the party or stay home.

The 3 pointer has changed the way the game is played. If a team can excell in the 3 point game but also execute traditional offensive schemes they will win.  Defending against the 3 ball becomes the top strategy for teams as they want to win the 3 ball battle.  Make more than the other team.

It is what it is.  The game has changed and you can either change with it or lose.

Dboss,
The game has always been changing. Its been in a constant state of transformation from the beginning.
I believe people are more concerned about the type of changes and what changes have affected the game to the point that it is no longer what its supposed to be.
If they come out with a 4 pt. Shot as the rumblings beneath indicate then it becomes more of a circus.
As of right now as recently as last nights game I saw 3-1 fast breaks where the player with the ball stops and shoots a 3. Why?
Yeah, I know what the analytics say and strategically it makes sense when the game calls for it but 30-40 a game?

There was no need to cut your percentages because “thats the way it is now”. It’s nonsensical.
I can see shooting a 3 when the game dictates that you need a 3 or more than one 3 to get back in the game but to continually fire them up at will is not good
Again its not the point of change but more so what the changes are and how its affecting the nuance of the game.
It can change to a point that it no longer even closely resembles what it was meant to be.

In football if a field goal was worth 4 pts from 50 yards and beyond would it be prudent to begin kicking from 50 where the percentages of making it decreases dramatically just to gain the extra point? Yes, if you have to to win or tie. Otherwise, no.
I feel the same way about (as Bob Cousy always says) “Those damn 3 pointers” when they’re just shooting at will as opposed to win or tie.

Ktron

Once analytics became an impotant way that teams evaluated outcomes, the 3 point shot became the preferred scoring option.

At this juncture it is baked into the cake.

A 4 point shot option would push things further away from the paint.  I would not want to see that happen.

I hate to see guys in position to score a few feet from the basket kick it out for a 3 point attempt.

dboss wrote:You can either join the party or stay home.

The 3 pointer has changed the way the game is played. If a team can excell in the 3 point game but also execute traditional offensive schemes they will win.  Defending against the 3 ball becomes the top strategy for teams as they want to win the 3 ball battle.  Make more than the other team.

It is what it is.  The game has changed and you can either change with it or lose.

Agreed.

It’s the way it goes with other sports and life in general.

Those of us getting a little older whine that things aren’t as good.

Baseball is adding the robo-ump at the triple A level this year, 3 pointers are dominating basketball, NFL officials are throwing a flag any time you breath near a QB. My negative reaction is simply a reminder to myself to remove my head from my behind and keep up.

It’s different. That’s all. You can keep up with change or be left wondering what happened. Sorry Pop.

Well everyone has to adjust to it, but we can still complain. As much as we might despise the 3, the best paid players can score at all 3 levels. I don’t see any one trick pony being the best player on a championship team. The more skills the better, todays players are so skilled, even young no names can run and gun and get surprisingly hot for stretches.

I have a friend up in Boston who coaches youth basketball.  He told me that all the kids just shoot threes.

We will be witness to a time when a 40% plus shooter from deep is the low bar.

dboss wrote:I have a friend up in Boston who coaches youth basketball.  He told me that all the kids just shoot threes.

We will be witness to a time when a 40% plus shooter from deep is the low bar.

And dribbling/ball handling drills, I was amazed seeing my kid at practice doing all these drills I never knew existed. We never did them.

NYCelt wrote:

dboss wrote:You can either join the party or stay home.

The 3 pointer has changed the way the game is played. If a team can excell in the 3 point game but also execute traditional offensive schemes they will win.  Defending against the 3 ball becomes the top strategy for teams as they want to win the 3 ball battle.  Make more than the other team.

It is what it is.  The game has changed and you can either change with it or lose.

Agreed.

It’s the way it goes with other sports and life in general.

Those of us getting a little older whine that things aren’t as good.

Baseball is adding the robo-ump at the triple A level this year, 3 pointers are dominating basketball, NFL officials are throwing a flag any time you breath near a QB. My negative reaction is simply a reminder to myself to remove my head from my behind and keep up.

It’s different. That’s all. You can keep up with change or be left wondering what happened. Sorry Pop.

Its not the change its what and how its being changed. I think a coach thats won 5 titles knows what’s best for the game. Just because something’s changed doesn't mean that its changed for the good of the game. Nobody that i know is against change. Neither am I but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
Pop knows the game better than any fan. I agree with him.

cowens/oldschool wrote:

dboss wrote:I have a friend up in Boston who coaches youth basketball.  He told me that all the kids just shoot threes.

We will be witness to a time when a 40% plus shooter from deep is the low bar.

And dribbling/ball handling drills, I was amazed seeing my kid at practice doing all these drills I never knew existed. We never did them.

Thats fine if they’re also learning the fundamentals. I can do without all the highlight reel schtick.

Ktron wrote:

NYCelt wrote:

dboss wrote:You can either join the party or stay home.

The 3 pointer has changed the way the game is played. If a team can excell in the 3 point game but also execute traditional offensive schemes they will win.  Defending against the 3 ball becomes the top strategy for teams as they want to win the 3 ball battle.  Make more than the other team.

It is what it is.  The game has changed and you can either change with it or lose.

Agreed.

It’s the way it goes with other sports and life in general.

Those of us getting a little older whine that things aren’t as good.

Baseball is adding the robo-ump at the triple A level this year, 3 pointers are dominating basketball, NFL officials are throwing a flag any time you breath near a QB. My negative reaction is simply a reminder to myself to remove my head from my behind and keep up.

It’s different. That’s all. You can keep up with change or be left wondering what happened. Sorry Pop.

Its not the change its what and how its being changed. I think a coach thats won 5 titles knows what’s best for the game. Just because something’s changed doesn't mean that its changed for the good of the game. Nobody that i know is against change. Neither am I but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
Pop knows the game better than any fan.  I agree with him.

+1