Saturday’s matchup between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs will be a clash between two teams with very different objectives this season. It will also be an opportunity for fans to witness a chess match between two of the top minds in the NBA today in Erik Spoelstra and Gregg Popovich.
Ahead of Saturday’s matchup, coach Pop was asked to share his thoughts on “the enemy.” The legendary Spurs shot-caller, however, had nothing but kinds words for Spoelstra, particularly when it comes to his upcoming stint with Team USA as Steve Kerr’s assistant:
“He doesn’t need any advice from me,” Popovich said, via Shandel Richardson of FanNation. “He was with us the whole time. He was somebody I had come in and be with us while we were preparing the team because I have so much respect for him. He was there with Steve and all the other guys that were in the program at the time. He’s well experienced on what goes on and what you have to do … He’ll be a fantastic assistant for Steve.”
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Popovich recently stepped down as the head coach for Team USA, with Kerr taking over the helm. Spoelstra will serve as one of Kerr’s assistant coaches, which just goes to show how star-studded Team USA’s coaching staff will be. Clearly, it’s just not all about the players.
Much like their NBA teams, Popovich and Spoelstra are currently at different points in their respective careers. While Pop is now in his twilight years in the NBA, Erik Spoelstra still has a long career ahead of him. Saturday’s matchup should be a treat for NBA fans everywhere.