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NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND


February 15, 2013


Gregg Popovich


HOUSTON, TEXAS

GREGG POPOVICH:  I want them to be able to enjoy whoever gets brought in that's going to support them.

Q.  How much coaching is off the court?
GREGG POPOVICH:  A great deal.  I think the psychological and people person part of it is important.  I think all the coaches know about the O's and X's, and they know what wins and what loses.  But I think coaching is more about consistency and being able to make demands in the right way so that players accept and want to be part of that, convincing people to accept roles and making them feel important in that role, even though they're not going to be ‑‑ all those parts of coaching are very underrated.  But with good teams they're always there.

Q.  (Inaudible).
GREGG POPOVICH:  Yes and no.  The standards are the same for everybody in the sense that, you know, if you're not there on time, the bus is leaving.  If I'm not there, the bus will leave.  So the standards are the same.  What's expected at practice and the effort levels and all those sorts of things.  But after that every player is different.  When Tony first came to us at age 19, I was merciless with him, because I wanted to find out very quickly if he was going to be able to run the show or not.  And I wanted him to be thrown into the frying pan and just melt or be stronger.  And with someone else, I wouldn't do that.  It depends on the player's personality.  And a coach has to figure out what buttons to push to make that person go.

Q.  (Inaudible).
GREGG POPOVICH:  The main object is fun.  I think it's ‑‑ all the players, they'll tell you, when they get together, it's a hell of an experience for them, just like it is for the coaches who are amazed to be around all those guys.
But the players want to show their talents.  And they want to play with each other.  Certain players are never going to play with somebody else on the same team.  This is an opportunity to have a thrill in that sense.  You look at it that way.  For the fans, the show, displays how great the NBA is.
When it goes on and you get to the fourth quarter it gets serious in the All‑Star Game and they want to win.  Things get a little chippier and very competitive.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports




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