Paul and Spurs determined to compete “hard” for Popovich amid his absence

LOS ANGELES — Following coach Gregg Popovich’s indefinite absence from the team San Antonio Spurs due to a health problem the shipowner cris pablo He said the club wanted to “play hard and compete for Pop because he set a standard.”

“You’ve seen it here for years. We’ve all seen it,” Paul said. “So, that’s what we want to try to focus on now: going out there and playing. Because we know if we don’t defend, we know we’re going to hear about it.”

Popovich, 75, suffered a health scare before Saturday’s victory over the minnesota wolvesand assistant Mitch Johnson, who took over and led the team to a 113-103 victory, will serve as interim head coach indefinitely, beginning Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers and will continue Wednesday in Houston, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Johnson, 39, gave a statement during his pregame availability with reporters on Monday, revealing that he spoke with Popovich, who did not travel with the Spurs on their two-game trip, on Sunday.

“I just want to start by saying that Pop’s impact on our organization comes from the players he coached and the staff that worked with him in the San Antonio community,” Johnson said. “It’s hard to articulate or put into words, and if I tried I wouldn’t do it justice. It’s been tremendous for me personally, and right now his health is the number one priority. We support him in that 100 percent and I spoke last night. “He’s in good spirits. He’s doing well and we’re looking forward to having him back.”

Asked about his message to the team as it moves forward without the longest-serving head coach in all four U.S. professional sports leagues, Johnson said, “regularly scheduled programming.”

“Just stay consistent with the messages we’ve received,” he said. “He does a lot of empowerment and delegation when he’s here. In a weird way, I don’t feel like I have to do anything super extravagant. We have [assistants] Brett Brown, Matt Nielsen, who were on the bench with me. We have a great staff and people who have voices that Pop empowers to train hard and lead. So I think it’s just continuing to do what we do. Obviously, these are big shoes to fill and we will do it as a group. “The boys have been great and the players have also taken a step forward in that regard.”

The team has not specified a timeline for when Popovich might return, and Johnson said he was “not at liberty” to discuss the situation.

Paul said none of the players have spoken to Popovich since his health scare, adding that the team simply wants to “give him his space.” Still, Paul said the Spurs can’t help but notice Popovich’s absence.

“There are certain things when you walk into the arena. You know you’re going to see this person, you’re going to have different routines,” Paul said. “So every time something breaks, the routine is different, especially with someone like Pop. But I think the guys on our team are excited to go out and play and play. We know he’ll be watching to let us know what he sees. “All the guys on our team, the staff, everyone definitely misses him because he’s Pop. So when he’s in the room, there’s a calming feeling for everyone.”

Popovich, the NBA’s career wins leader (1,390), which includes 170 playoff wins and five championships, is in his 29th season with the Spurs.

Popovich received a five-year, $80 million contract extension in July 2023, increasing his salary to $16 million per season, making him the highest-paid coach in the NBA at the time. Popovich, an Air Force Academy graduate and former U.S. Air Force officer, took over as the Spurs’ head coach in 1996. He has a postseason record of 170-114, which ranks him in third place on the NBA’s all-time playoff wins list, behind Phil. Jackson (229) and Pat Riley (171).

Popovich was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in August 2023.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but I prayed,” Clippers coach Ty Lue said. “Hopefully he’s okay and recovers quickly. Pop has been very present in our game and our coaches. Every time we go to a coaches meeting, he’s the one who steps up and makes sure we get what we’re supposed to. that we should get. Just everything he has done for the game. He talks about all the politics. He is a guy we follow and listen to. He always supports us, as well as the players.