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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: WARRIORS VS SPURS

May 22, 2017

Gregg Popovich

Oakland, California - Postgame

Warriors - 129, Spurs - 115

COACH POPOVICH: Congratulations to the Warriors. They were fantastic. You know, to all of them, from ownership, to Bob [Myers], to Steve [Kerr], Mike [Brown], and the whole staff. The whole group. The players, obviously. Play a great brand of basketball.

Fun to watch. They were fantastic. They did it with class, so hats off to them. Great job.

Q. [In terms of Manu Ginobili's future] what would be your recommendation after watching him play in this playoff, if you think he can come back for another season?
COACH POPOVICH: Well, you know, Manu, he's a grown man. He'll figure out what is best for him and his family. We started him tonight out of respect. That was the whole reason for starting him. Before the game you think it may or may not be his last game that he ever plays in, and I did not want to miss the opportunity to honor him in front of our home fans for his selflessness over the years.

I mean, this is a Hall of Fame player who allowed me to bring him off the bench for, I can't even remember now, the last decade or something, because it would make us a better team overall. So obviously he's a big reason for our success. And he deserved to have that night of respect so that he really feels that we appreciate everything he's done over the years.

If he decides he's going to play again, that's up to him, but I won't try to convince him one way or the other. I don't think he needs that.

Q. Pop, when the crowd started chanting "Manu, Manu," was it hard for you not to get sucked up in the emotions of the night a little bit?
COACH POPOVICH: Of course. I'm going to try not to go there.

Q. Guess that ruins the next question I was going to ask you?
COACH POPOVICH: Then don't ask it (laughing). I don't want to ruin your question.

Q. I'm going to take my shot.
COACH POPOVICH: That's like somebody asking for an autograph, and they come over to you and say I never do this, or I hate to do this. And you say, no, you don't hate it that much (laughing).

Q. Can you describe the feeling when you subbed him out in the game in what could be the final time?
COACH POPOVICH: No, you're not going to get me wishy-washy here. But it worked out great. Starting him, I'm sure he felt special as a symbol and an image.

Q. Pop, you've talked about the Warriors and how good they are and sort of said -- I think back in January you said it's beautiful. You're okay with the competitive balance aspect of this, but, I mean, how do you feel after a run like this when they get done with a series like this and it's Durant and Curry. Is it okay for the game to have a team like this?
COACH POPOVICH: Yeah, everybody tries to put together as much talent as they can, and that's what they did. Make no mistake. I think they get a short shift sometimes when -- well, they're so talented and they're over-talented, they are talented. They're really talented. But that's not the whole equation. That's not everything that describes them. This is, you know, maybe the best defensive team in the league on top of everything. So they don't just play with talent. They execute at the defensive end of the floor. On offense, no team is more unselfish finding the open man and that sort of thing. They get credit for that. Coaches are always trying to get their team to do that. But they've got a multitude of people who are unselfish in that regard and play a beautiful game, and on top of that play D at the other end.

So they deserve a lot more credit than, well, they're talented. They're supposed to win. That is disrespectful to them in my book. They're way, way more than just their talent.

Q. Can you describe the play of your young guys tonight led by call Kyle [Anderson] off the bench?
COACH POPOVICH: That's a good group of kids. We have seven new players this year. And for our part, I think they had a great season. When you get seven new guys and you play for the first time without Timmy's leadership, to win 61 games and play well through the first round, the second round, and the beginning of the Conference Finals here, I think they did a fine job for themselves. The young kids had a big part of that throughout the year and in the Playoffs. So I think their future is bright.

Q. Can you talk about what went into the decision of not putting LaMarcus in in the fourth quarter?
COACH POPOVICH: We were down by 40 (laughter), and I didn't think it would make much sense to have him go back out there.

Q. Circumstances are always different every game, every series?
COACH POPOVICH: Well, that's good.

Q. For the Warriors to start 12-0 --
COACH POPOVICH: Is this going to be a long question?

Q. I think it already is, but it's not going to be much longer. 12-0 in the Playoffs, how impressive is that to you?
COACH POPOVICH: Really impressive.

Q. Not really, really?
COACH POPOVICH: Anybody else have a question that makes sense, and I'll be happy to answer it.

Q. Going back over the years, we've seen the NBA change a lot from where it was 15, 20 years ago. I'm just curious on your thought on the prevalence of the three ball now? The Warriors are using it, the Rockets were huge with it. How has it changed the game and what's it doing to the game?
COACH POPOVICH: I don't see too many big men that are really interested in playing down in the block anymore. Everybody wants to shoot it, and I think I've stated many times I hate the three-point shot. I've often said, why don't we have a four-point shot? Let's have a five-point shot and make it a circus, and then there's nothing going on except you feel like you're in Vegas every night. That sort of thing.

But you've got to go with what it is. There are that many players that can shoot the three, you better be able to guard it, and you better have people that make the three. Because analytics, you don't have to be a genius to see what the three does. The Warriors have a multitude of people who can shoot it. Philosophically, I can still hate it, but I still have to use it. When we've won championships, we've shot threes. It was one of the reasons that we won. So I guess maybe those ideas are mutually exclusive. But I hate it, but you use it. I hope they don't do that four-point thing, because I think Steph and Klay will be able to make those, too, and everybody will be in more trouble.

Q. You've watched Steph come up in this league. He's cut his teeth against teams like you. What impresses you with how he performs as he's grown?
COACH POPOVICH: He's taken on the responsibility to be a star every night, and a lot of people can't do that. That's number one. Number two, he's had the wisdom to make his game be even more solid, a little bit less mustard and a little bit more fundamentally sound, which reduces turnovers, gets more shots for teammates. So he's been willing to tone it a little bit over the past few years, and possessions are that much more powerful. There are no dry possessions, there are fewer turnovers, that kind of thing. Obviously his confidence has gone through the roof because he realizes that what he does is special. But it doesn't diminish his attitude and approach and edge as he approaches every game. So he's very special.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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