Legendary San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich won’t return to the team’s bench. Popovich will continue serving as the franchise’s president of basketball operations while interim head coach Mitch Johnson will get the job on a permanent basis.

Popovich suffered a mild stroke in November and stepped down from coaching as he focused on recovering. He initially intended to return for 2025-26 but later decided to prioritize his health instead of committing to the grueling task of coaching in the NBA.

“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said in a statement released by the team. “I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff, and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach, and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me.”

Gregg Popovich initially joined the Spurs in 1988 as an assistant and served in the role until 1992. He returned to the franchise as a general manager in 1994 and named himself as the Spurs’ head coach in 1996 after he fired Bob Hill.

Since taking over as Spurs head coach, Popovich became the winningest coach in NBA history with 1,422 career wins. He led San Antonio to five NBA titles and was named NBA’s Coach of the Year three times. Popovich also won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the head coach of Team USA.

Mitch Johnson joined the Spurs’ organization in 2016 as an assistant with G League affiliate Austin Spurs. He quickly rose through the ranks and became one of Popovich’s most trusted assistants. Johnson led the Spurs to a 31-45 record during his interim stint.

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The experience of Golden State Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler proved to be a determining factor in a 95-85 win over the young Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series between the two teams.

The Rockets relied on aggressiveness and physicality to deliver a strong first quarter that saw them lead by 13 points at one point. However, the Warriors quickly settled into the rhythm to slow down their opponents with smart defense while Curry and Butler took turns making one big shot after another.

Golden State took a commanding lead by the end of the first half and was up by 23 points in the third quarter. Houston eventually managed to cut down the lead to nine entering the fourth quarter but couldn’t complete a comeback.

Curry led the way for the Warriors with a game-high 31 points while adding six assists and six rebounds. Butler had 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

“In order for us to win basketball games it requires Steph Curry to be great,” Golden State’s Draymond Green said after the game. “And he was just that.”

“(Curry) just made some amazing plays and obviously carried us offensively along with Jimmy,” Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr added.

Game 2 between the seventh-seeded Warriors and second-seeded Rockets is scheduled for Wednesday before the series moves to San Francisco for Games 3 and 4.  

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The New Orleans Pelicans announced on Wednesday that the franchise is hiring Hall of Famer Joe Dumars to serve as their new executive vice president of basketball operations. Dumars will step in for David Griffin, who was fired on Monday after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign.

Willie Green is expected to remain the coach of the Pelicans, although Dumars will reportedly have the final say on his fate.

The Pelicans endured a rough and injury-riddled season that saw them finish with a 21-61 record, fourth-worst in the league.

“There is a lot of talent on this roster,” Dumars, who is a Louisiana native, said in a statement. “My vision is to build a disciplined team that is built on toughness, smart decision-making, and a no-excuses mindset. I am proud to have grown up in Louisiana and know how passionate, resilient, and tough we are as a community. Our fans deserve a team that represents that spirit, and those characteristics will be the foundation of our team’s culture.”

Joe Dumars played 14 seasons in the NBA, spending all of them with the Detroit Pistons. He helped the franchise to two NBA titles and was named NBA Finals MVP in 1989. Dumars also earned six NBA All-Star selections and was named to NBA All-Defensive First Team four times. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dumars transitioned to an executive role after retirement, becoming Pistons’ president of basketball operations prior to the 2000-01 season. He held the position for 14 years and constructed the team that won the 2004 NBA championship. After leaving the Pistons, he served in executive roles with the Sacramento Kings and the NBA League Office.

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The Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic will average a triple-double in the 2024-25 NBA season, becoming the third player in NBA history to achieve this feat.

Jokic secured the triple-double average for the season with his fourth assist in the Nuggets’ 117-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. At that point, the Serbian center reached the mark of 700 assists in 69 games, meaning that he will average at least 10.0 assists even if he doesn’t get a single one in the regular season finale.

Fittingly, Jokic finished the game with a triple-double, scoring 26 points to go with 16 rebounds and 13 assists. He is now averaging 29.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.3 assists for the season. 

Before Jokic, only Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson and his teammate Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double for a season. Robertson did it in 1961-62, while Westbrook had four such seasons, with the last one coming in 2020-21.

“It’s nice. I didn’t do that before. I don’t know what to say. It’s good, ” said Jokic after the Grizzlies game.

On the other hand, Nuggets’ interim head coach David Adelman championed for Jokic to win his fourth MVP award.

“If he doesn’t win the MVP, it’s the greatest season of all time not to win the MVP,” Adelman said.

It remains to be seen whether Jokic’s historic season equates to another MVP win. Despite his achievement, he is currently seen as an underdog in the race with Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being the favorite.

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The Phoenix Suns were handed another tough blow as they attempt to keep their playoff chances alive. Suns’ superstar Kevin Durant suffered an ankle sprain in a 148-109 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday night and will at least miss one game if not more.

Durant got midway through the third quarter after stepping on Jabari Smith Jr.’s foot and rolling his ankle when attempting to drive to the basket. He was unable to get on his own and immediately headed to the locker room before being ruled out of the game.

Speaking with reporters at a post-match presser, the Suns’ head coach Mike Budenholzer said that Durant is set to get an MRI and will miss Tuesday’s contest against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Durant’s absence from the floor might extend past the Bucks’ game, depending on the MRI results.A Grade 1 sprain would rule him out for one to two weeks, while a Grade 2 sprain would likely end his season.

This comes at the worst possible moment for the Suns. The team is trying to salvage their season and secure at least a spot in the Play-In tournament. With seven games remaining in 2024-25, the Suns are sitting at No. 11 with a 35-49 record and trail 1.5 games behind the Sacramento Kings, who hold the last Play-In spot.

Despite Phoenix’s struggles, Durant played at a high level this season. He has been averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 43% from beyond the arc.

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The Golden State Warriors boosted their bench on Saturday, signing veteran forward Kevin Knox to a deal for the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season.

Knox, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, already had two 10-day contract stints with the Warriors this season. He played in seven games and averaged 4.0 points and 1.6 rebounds.

Adding Knox ensured that the Warriors met the required threshold of 14 standard NBA contracts. They previously had 13 players under contract after sending Andres Wiggins and Kyle Anderson in a trade that landed them Jimmy Butler.

Knox was part of the Warriors’ team for the 2024 NBA Summer League but was waived prior to start of the season. He later joined their G League affiliate Santa Cruz Warriors and delivered impressive performances, averaging 21.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 28 games.

Despite showing promise at the start of his NBA career, Kevin Knox has so far failed to live up to his status as a lottery pick. He became a journeyman in the past several years, suiting up for the Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, and Portland Trail Blazers while also having a stint with the Rip City Remix. It remains to be seen whether his time with the Warriors will help him resurrect his career and become a mainstay in the league.

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The Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James became the only player in the history of the NBA to score 50,000 points in the regular season and playoffs combined. James cleared the 50K mark in the Lakers’ 136-115 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

James entered the Pelicans game needing only three points to reach the milestone. He managed to do it on his first shot, sinking a three-pointer after an assist from Luka Doncic.

James would go on to finish the game with 36 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.

“It’s a hell of a lot of points, and I’m super blessed to be able to put that many points up in the best league in the world with the best players in the world over my career,” James said after the game. “It’s pretty special.”

Besides being the league’s leader in combined points, James also has the most regular season points with 41,871 and most playoff points with 8,162.

Despite playing his 22nd season in the NBA, James isn’t showing signs of slowing down. In 2024-25, he is averaging 24.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.5 assists. This included averaging 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in February and being named Western Conference Player of the Month.

Thanks to James, the Lakers have climbed up to No.2 seed in the West. They currently own a 39-21 record and are riding a seven-game winning streak.

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The Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season. Embiid is dealing with a lingering left knee injury and is reportedly mulling various options to address the issue including surgery.

Embiid had two surgeries on his left knee in the past, including one that sidelined him for the second part of the 2023-24 campaign. However, the most recent procedure didn’t provide a long-term fix, as the 2023 NBA MVP experienced swelling and constantly played through pain this season.

Embiid was limited to just 19 games this season and wasn’t his usual self. He averaged 23.8 points per game, his lowest since 2019-20, and 8.2 rebounds, his lowest since his rookie season.

The 76ers and Embiid have reportedly consulted a number of specialists in recent weeks in order to determine the best path forward. While the final decision is yet to be made, the surgery seems like the most viable option.

Losing Embiid will most likely result in another lost season for the 76ers. Even with Embiid on the floor, Philly struggled for the better part of the campaign. They are currently in the midst of a nine-game losing streak that left them at a 20-38 record and on No. 12 in the Western Conference. 

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The San Antonio Spurs will finish the 2024-25 season without their head coach Gregg Popovich on the sidelines.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Popovich isn’t expected to return to coaching this season. Popovich suffered a “mild stroke” in November and has been away from the team since.

Reportedly, Popovich is doing well in his recovery but his NBA future is uncertain.

The news about Popovich comes just days after San Antonio shut down their franchise star Victor Wembanyama for the remainder of the campaign. Wembanyama, who earned his first All-Star nod this season, is dealing with a right shoulder injury.

The Spurs turned to assistant Mitch Johnson as interim head coach in Popovich’s absence and he guided the team to a 21-27 record since. The Spurs went 3-7 in their last 10 games and currently find themselves in 12th place in the Western Conference with a 24-31 record.

Gregg Popovich initially joined the Spurs in 1988 as an assistant, remaining with the franchise until 1992 before joining the Golden State Warriors to work under Don Nelson. Popovich returned to the Spurs two years later as general manager and installed himself as the head coach midway through the 1996–97 campaign.

Since then, Popovich has become the NBA’s all-time leader in wins with 1,390 victories in the regular season. He led the Spurs to five NBA titles and one more NBA Finals appearance.

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Playing in his home arena, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry put on a show at the revamped All-Star Game on Sunday. Curry led Team Shaq to a win while getting crowned All-Star MVP for the second time in his career.

The 2025 All-Star Game featured a new format that saw three All-Star teams, each coached by Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley, and the Rising Stars team coached by Candace Parker, square off in a mini-tournament. All games had a target score of 40 points.

Team Shaq got a 42-35 win over Team Candace, while Team Chuck got a 41-31 win over Team Kenny in the semi-finals. The finals saw a stacked Team Shaq, which featured Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Jason Tatum, and Damian Lillard in its starting lineup, dominate Team Chuck for a 41-25 win.

Curry scored eight points in the semifinals and added 12 points in the finals. All of his points in the finals came from behind the arc, including a half-court three-pointer to give Team Shaq a 26-15 lead.

“It was one of those little flurries, just having fun,” Curry said after the game. “The half-court shot, I was going to take one at some point. [Nikola] Jokic was picking me up at half court, which was hilarious.”

Curry ended up getting 12 out of the 14 votes for All-Star MVP, with Tatum and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receiving one vote each. He is the 15th player in NBA All-Star Game history to get multiple MVP honors.

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Legendary San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich won’t return to the team’s bench. Popovich will continue serving as the franchise’s president of basketball operations while interim head coach Mitch Johnson will get the job on a permanent basis.

Popovich suffered a mild stroke in November and stepped down from coaching as he focused on recovering. He initially intended to return for 2025-26 but later decided to prioritize his health instead of committing to the grueling task of coaching in the NBA.

“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said in a statement released by the team. “I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff, and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach, and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me.”

Gregg Popovich initially joined the Spurs in 1988 as an assistant and served in the role until 1992. He returned to the franchise as a general manager in 1994 and named himself as the Spurs’ head coach in 1996 after he fired Bob Hill.

Since taking over as Spurs head coach, Popovich became the winningest coach in NBA history with 1,422 career wins. He led San Antonio to five NBA titles and was named NBA’s Coach of the Year three times. Popovich also won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the head coach of Team USA.

Mitch Johnson joined the Spurs’ organization in 2016 as an assistant with G League affiliate Austin Spurs. He quickly rose through the ranks and became one of Popovich’s most trusted assistants. Johnson led the Spurs to a 31-45 record during his interim stint.

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The experience of Golden State Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler proved to be a determining factor in a 95-85 win over the young Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series between the two teams.

The Rockets relied on aggressiveness and physicality to deliver a strong first quarter that saw them lead by 13 points at one point. However, the Warriors quickly settled into the rhythm to slow down their opponents with smart defense while Curry and Butler took turns making one big shot after another.

Golden State took a commanding lead by the end of the first half and was up by 23 points in the third quarter. Houston eventually managed to cut down the lead to nine entering the fourth quarter but couldn’t complete a comeback.

Curry led the way for the Warriors with a game-high 31 points while adding six assists and six rebounds. Butler had 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

“In order for us to win basketball games it requires Steph Curry to be great,” Golden State’s Draymond Green said after the game. “And he was just that.”

“(Curry) just made some amazing plays and obviously carried us offensively along with Jimmy,” Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr added.

Game 2 between the seventh-seeded Warriors and second-seeded Rockets is scheduled for Wednesday before the series moves to San Francisco for Games 3 and 4.  

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The New Orleans Pelicans announced on Wednesday that the franchise is hiring Hall of Famer Joe Dumars to serve as their new executive vice president of basketball operations. Dumars will step in for David Griffin, who was fired on Monday after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign.

Willie Green is expected to remain the coach of the Pelicans, although Dumars will reportedly have the final say on his fate.

The Pelicans endured a rough and injury-riddled season that saw them finish with a 21-61 record, fourth-worst in the league.

“There is a lot of talent on this roster,” Dumars, who is a Louisiana native, said in a statement. “My vision is to build a disciplined team that is built on toughness, smart decision-making, and a no-excuses mindset. I am proud to have grown up in Louisiana and know how passionate, resilient, and tough we are as a community. Our fans deserve a team that represents that spirit, and those characteristics will be the foundation of our team’s culture.”

Joe Dumars played 14 seasons in the NBA, spending all of them with the Detroit Pistons. He helped the franchise to two NBA titles and was named NBA Finals MVP in 1989. Dumars also earned six NBA All-Star selections and was named to NBA All-Defensive First Team four times. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dumars transitioned to an executive role after retirement, becoming Pistons’ president of basketball operations prior to the 2000-01 season. He held the position for 14 years and constructed the team that won the 2004 NBA championship. After leaving the Pistons, he served in executive roles with the Sacramento Kings and the NBA League Office.

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The Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic will average a triple-double in the 2024-25 NBA season, becoming the third player in NBA history to achieve this feat.

Jokic secured the triple-double average for the season with his fourth assist in the Nuggets’ 117-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. At that point, the Serbian center reached the mark of 700 assists in 69 games, meaning that he will average at least 10.0 assists even if he doesn’t get a single one in the regular season finale.

Fittingly, Jokic finished the game with a triple-double, scoring 26 points to go with 16 rebounds and 13 assists. He is now averaging 29.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.3 assists for the season. 

Before Jokic, only Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson and his teammate Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double for a season. Robertson did it in 1961-62, while Westbrook had four such seasons, with the last one coming in 2020-21.

“It’s nice. I didn’t do that before. I don’t know what to say. It’s good, ” said Jokic after the Grizzlies game.

On the other hand, Nuggets’ interim head coach David Adelman championed for Jokic to win his fourth MVP award.

“If he doesn’t win the MVP, it’s the greatest season of all time not to win the MVP,” Adelman said.

It remains to be seen whether Jokic’s historic season equates to another MVP win. Despite his achievement, he is currently seen as an underdog in the race with Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being the favorite.

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The Phoenix Suns were handed another tough blow as they attempt to keep their playoff chances alive. Suns’ superstar Kevin Durant suffered an ankle sprain in a 148-109 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday night and will at least miss one game if not more.

Durant got midway through the third quarter after stepping on Jabari Smith Jr.’s foot and rolling his ankle when attempting to drive to the basket. He was unable to get on his own and immediately headed to the locker room before being ruled out of the game.

Speaking with reporters at a post-match presser, the Suns’ head coach Mike Budenholzer said that Durant is set to get an MRI and will miss Tuesday’s contest against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Durant’s absence from the floor might extend past the Bucks’ game, depending on the MRI results.A Grade 1 sprain would rule him out for one to two weeks, while a Grade 2 sprain would likely end his season.

This comes at the worst possible moment for the Suns. The team is trying to salvage their season and secure at least a spot in the Play-In tournament. With seven games remaining in 2024-25, the Suns are sitting at No. 11 with a 35-49 record and trail 1.5 games behind the Sacramento Kings, who hold the last Play-In spot.

Despite Phoenix’s struggles, Durant played at a high level this season. He has been averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 43% from beyond the arc.

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The Golden State Warriors boosted their bench on Saturday, signing veteran forward Kevin Knox to a deal for the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season.

Knox, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks, already had two 10-day contract stints with the Warriors this season. He played in seven games and averaged 4.0 points and 1.6 rebounds.

Adding Knox ensured that the Warriors met the required threshold of 14 standard NBA contracts. They previously had 13 players under contract after sending Andres Wiggins and Kyle Anderson in a trade that landed them Jimmy Butler.

Knox was part of the Warriors’ team for the 2024 NBA Summer League but was waived prior to start of the season. He later joined their G League affiliate Santa Cruz Warriors and delivered impressive performances, averaging 21.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 28 games.

Despite showing promise at the start of his NBA career, Kevin Knox has so far failed to live up to his status as a lottery pick. He became a journeyman in the past several years, suiting up for the Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, and Portland Trail Blazers while also having a stint with the Rip City Remix. It remains to be seen whether his time with the Warriors will help him resurrect his career and become a mainstay in the league.

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The Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James became the only player in the history of the NBA to score 50,000 points in the regular season and playoffs combined. James cleared the 50K mark in the Lakers’ 136-115 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

James entered the Pelicans game needing only three points to reach the milestone. He managed to do it on his first shot, sinking a three-pointer after an assist from Luka Doncic.

James would go on to finish the game with 36 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.

“It’s a hell of a lot of points, and I’m super blessed to be able to put that many points up in the best league in the world with the best players in the world over my career,” James said after the game. “It’s pretty special.”

Besides being the league’s leader in combined points, James also has the most regular season points with 41,871 and most playoff points with 8,162.

Despite playing his 22nd season in the NBA, James isn’t showing signs of slowing down. In 2024-25, he is averaging 24.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.5 assists. This included averaging 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in February and being named Western Conference Player of the Month.

Thanks to James, the Lakers have climbed up to No.2 seed in the West. They currently own a 39-21 record and are riding a seven-game winning streak.

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The Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season. Embiid is dealing with a lingering left knee injury and is reportedly mulling various options to address the issue including surgery.

Embiid had two surgeries on his left knee in the past, including one that sidelined him for the second part of the 2023-24 campaign. However, the most recent procedure didn’t provide a long-term fix, as the 2023 NBA MVP experienced swelling and constantly played through pain this season.

Embiid was limited to just 19 games this season and wasn’t his usual self. He averaged 23.8 points per game, his lowest since 2019-20, and 8.2 rebounds, his lowest since his rookie season.

The 76ers and Embiid have reportedly consulted a number of specialists in recent weeks in order to determine the best path forward. While the final decision is yet to be made, the surgery seems like the most viable option.

Losing Embiid will most likely result in another lost season for the 76ers. Even with Embiid on the floor, Philly struggled for the better part of the campaign. They are currently in the midst of a nine-game losing streak that left them at a 20-38 record and on No. 12 in the Western Conference. 

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The San Antonio Spurs will finish the 2024-25 season without their head coach Gregg Popovich on the sidelines.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Popovich isn’t expected to return to coaching this season. Popovich suffered a “mild stroke” in November and has been away from the team since.

Reportedly, Popovich is doing well in his recovery but his NBA future is uncertain.

The news about Popovich comes just days after San Antonio shut down their franchise star Victor Wembanyama for the remainder of the campaign. Wembanyama, who earned his first All-Star nod this season, is dealing with a right shoulder injury.

The Spurs turned to assistant Mitch Johnson as interim head coach in Popovich’s absence and he guided the team to a 21-27 record since. The Spurs went 3-7 in their last 10 games and currently find themselves in 12th place in the Western Conference with a 24-31 record.

Gregg Popovich initially joined the Spurs in 1988 as an assistant, remaining with the franchise until 1992 before joining the Golden State Warriors to work under Don Nelson. Popovich returned to the Spurs two years later as general manager and installed himself as the head coach midway through the 1996–97 campaign.

Since then, Popovich has become the NBA’s all-time leader in wins with 1,390 victories in the regular season. He led the Spurs to five NBA titles and one more NBA Finals appearance.

The post San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich is Not Expected to Return This Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Playing in his home arena, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry put on a show at the revamped All-Star Game on Sunday. Curry led Team Shaq to a win while getting crowned All-Star MVP for the second time in his career.

The 2025 All-Star Game featured a new format that saw three All-Star teams, each coached by Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley, and the Rising Stars team coached by Candace Parker, square off in a mini-tournament. All games had a target score of 40 points.

Team Shaq got a 42-35 win over Team Candace, while Team Chuck got a 41-31 win over Team Kenny in the semi-finals. The finals saw a stacked Team Shaq, which featured Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Jason Tatum, and Damian Lillard in its starting lineup, dominate Team Chuck for a 41-25 win.

Curry scored eight points in the semifinals and added 12 points in the finals. All of his points in the finals came from behind the arc, including a half-court three-pointer to give Team Shaq a 26-15 lead.

“It was one of those little flurries, just having fun,” Curry said after the game. “The half-court shot, I was going to take one at some point. [Nikola] Jokic was picking me up at half court, which was hilarious.”

Curry ended up getting 12 out of the 14 votes for All-Star MVP, with Tatum and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receiving one vote each. He is the 15th player in NBA All-Star Game history to get multiple MVP honors.

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