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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: THUNDER v SPURS


May 28, 2012


Gregg Popovich


SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: Practice Day

Q.  When you told your team you wanted them to play nasty, what did you mean by that and how did you respond?
GREG POPOVICH:  I just wanted to us get off our heels.  I thought we were playing unconfidently and not in a very aggressive mode.  We weren't moving the ball.  We were holding the ball.  We weren't making quick decisions, that sort of thing.

Q.  Did you expect a 39‑point quarter?
GREG POPOVICH:  Nobody ever expects a 39‑point quarter.

Q.  (No microphone) how did you manage the transition from Tim's career or Ginobili?  How do you deal with stars to allow them to make that transition?
GREG POPOVICH:  Well, I'm very fortunate in that I didn't have to deal with star egos.  I dealt with grown‑ups.  Guys with character and prioritization already set in their lives and their values and those kind of things.  So when Timmy came along, he understood his talent and made it very easy for Tim to start to become the go‑to guy.  As Timmy got older, he understood the value of Manu and Tony and was able to share that spotlight with them.
So I never had a talk, I never had a discussion, a meeting, or anything with any of those guys about that.  We just did it, and the process kind of morphed along, and that's because of their character they're able to do it.

Q.  How did you feel the defense was against Kevin and Harden and Westbrook?
GREG POPOVICH:  It could have been better.  At times we won the battle; at times they won the battle.  That's why the scores are 12‑10.  These guys are the best players in the world at this level.  They're going to score no matter what the defense is.
So you just try to do the best job you can, but there is no stopping those guys.  You just try to make them work hard and try to limit them in certain situations.

Q.  (No microphone)?
GREG POPOVICH:  Because Jack has absolutely no idea what he's doing, so neither does the offense (laughing).

Q.  Ginobili in the fourth quarter (No microphone)?
GREG POPOVICH:  He's had other fourth quarters like that.  He's a pretty special guy.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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