The San Antonio Spurs have the longest active playoff streak in NBA, managing to get to the postseason each time in the past 21 seasons. And while their fans are hoping the streak will be extended to 22 when the regular 2018-19 NBA season wraps up, making the playoffs is proving to be a real challenge for the Spurs this time around.

Spurs have struggled with inconsistency throughout the entire season, showing flashes of great basketball but often embarking on uncomfortable losing stretches while trying to deal with the aftermath of Kawhi Leonard trade. Now some might say that this is an obvious introduction into upcoming difficult times for the franchise, their forward Rudy Gay describes the struggles as a process of “building character.” 

“I’d love the storybook, where we’d get together and win millions of games right away,” – Gay told San Antonio Express-News. “But it’s going to take time. We’re just building character right now, that’s all.”

According to Gay, San Antonio isn’t thinking about rebuilding and are still very much interested in winning games.

“Of course we’re trying to win now,” – he added. “I mean, there are two big factors. One, we’re a new team. Two, this is not the East. You know what I’m saying? You don’t just get together and start beating everybody.”

After a mediocre first year with the San Antonio Spurs, Rudy Gay bounced back this season and has managed to cement his place in the team’s starting lineup. He is averaging 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.

The post Rudy Gay on Spurs’ Struggles: “We’re Just Building Character” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

One year ago, San Antonio Spurs training facilities were full of familiar faces. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker were getting ready to show that they can still be valuable contributors after 16 years in the NBA and four championships together. Kawhi Leonard, recovering from his quad injury, was looking to emerge as the team’s unquestionable new leader and prove that the NBA Finals MVP award he won in 2014 wasn’t just a coincidence. Gregg Popovich was probably smiling on the side and was already tinkering with plans to stop the Golden State Warriors dynasty.

It is funny how things can drastically change in just 365 days.

This year, there will be lots of introductions in Spurs house. Ginobili retired, Parker left to Charlotte, while Leonard was traded. Popovich is the only one left, and you have to wonder is he facing his biggest challenge just now, after already coaching 23 years in the NBA? Will this be the season when Spurs’ streak of 21 consecutive seasons as a playoff team comes to an end? What’s next for San Antonio Spur and Gregg Popovich?

Contrary to popular belief, Spurs and Popovich should be written off just yet.

This season, although partly a rebuilding one, won’t be the biggest challenge for Gregg Popovich as many people think. Remember he has beaten one of NBA’s most famous superteams in Miami Heat, who had LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in their prime? And that he did it with aging Tim Duncan and inexperienced Kawhi Leonard?

If you are in a mood for debate, then last season was definitely bigger challenge than this one. Spurs were without their best player for all season, and they still managed to snag a playoff spot in a loaded Western Conference. Popovich isn’t one of the best coaches in the history of the league without reason. He knows how to put the players in a perfect position to win, maximizing their strengths and hiding their weaknesses.

Now, although the West is somehow even stronger this year, so are the San Antonio Spurs. Yes, we know that DeMar DeRozan isn’t Kawhi Leonard by any stretch of the imagination, but he represents 22+ points a game player that the team didn’t have last year. Combine that with a reliable LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol, improved Dejounte Murray and talented rookie Lonnie Walker, and you have yourself a team that can get to 48 wins at least. This will probably be enough for 6th through 8th seed once again, and Spurs will keep the streak alive.

Finally, you wonder what’s next for San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich? Well, another NBA championship is out of the question of course. No matter how good Popovich is, his team just doesn’t have the star power to compete with Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets or Oklahoma City Thunder. But, the important thing is that the Spurs won’t end up at the bottom of the Western Conference and will remain relevant for years to come. They will be a team no one will be comfortable facing and will continue to improve as their young players get more experience. Popovich will be able to retire while the team is still winning games, and won’t be a part of the tanking business, securing his legacy as arguably one of two best coaches basketball has ever seen.

This future might not be the one Spurs’ fans were hoping last year, but it will be a lot better than it looks like at the moment.

The post Opinion: What’s Next for San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich? appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the 98-85 victory over Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs managed to clinch the playoff spot for the 21st consecutive season. This also became the second longest playoff appearance streak (tied with the Portland Trail Blazers) in the history of the league. The Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called the feat “wonderful.”

Although the NBA playoffs without the Spurs seem unimaginable, that was a real option this season. Their best player Kawhi Leonard only played in nine games this season, with the team having to send 25 different starting line-ups due to various problems and injuries. This, combined with the loaded Western Conference, meant that Spurs had to really fight their way into the playoffs.

“It is a different position,” – said Popovich. “We haven’t really been in that kind of a position very often. But all the same, things apply: being humble in wins, learning from losses and moving on, not dwelling on things, just trying to improve. It’s like we’ve said in any other year: We want to be the best team we can be, come playoff time. I think at this point, other than our road play, we’ve gotten to the point where we know our team pretty well. We’re as good as we can get. We’ve got a lot of guys that have really progressed. We all have been frustrated because we wanted to pick up where we left off last year, and that didn’t happen for all the reasons we know. But life goes on. I think under the circumstances, they’ve done a wonderful job of being in this position. Hopefully, we’ll finish it the right way.“

San Antonio Spurs currently sit as the sixth seed in the Western Conference, with one game left to go. If they manage to beat the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, they will secure at least the fifth seed and could even get the four in case Utah Jazz loses one of their two games left.

The post San Antonio Spurs Clinch The Playoff Spot for 21st Consecutive Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The San Antonio Spurs have the longest active playoff streak in NBA, managing to get to the postseason each time in the past 21 seasons. And while their fans are hoping the streak will be extended to 22 when the regular 2018-19 NBA season wraps up, making the playoffs is proving to be a real challenge for the Spurs this time around.

Spurs have struggled with inconsistency throughout the entire season, showing flashes of great basketball but often embarking on uncomfortable losing stretches while trying to deal with the aftermath of Kawhi Leonard trade. Now some might say that this is an obvious introduction into upcoming difficult times for the franchise, their forward Rudy Gay describes the struggles as a process of “building character.” 

“I’d love the storybook, where we’d get together and win millions of games right away,” – Gay told San Antonio Express-News. “But it’s going to take time. We’re just building character right now, that’s all.”

According to Gay, San Antonio isn’t thinking about rebuilding and are still very much interested in winning games.

“Of course we’re trying to win now,” – he added. “I mean, there are two big factors. One, we’re a new team. Two, this is not the East. You know what I’m saying? You don’t just get together and start beating everybody.”

After a mediocre first year with the San Antonio Spurs, Rudy Gay bounced back this season and has managed to cement his place in the team’s starting lineup. He is averaging 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.

The post Rudy Gay on Spurs’ Struggles: “We’re Just Building Character” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

One year ago, San Antonio Spurs training facilities were full of familiar faces. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker were getting ready to show that they can still be valuable contributors after 16 years in the NBA and four championships together. Kawhi Leonard, recovering from his quad injury, was looking to emerge as the team’s unquestionable new leader and prove that the NBA Finals MVP award he won in 2014 wasn’t just a coincidence. Gregg Popovich was probably smiling on the side and was already tinkering with plans to stop the Golden State Warriors dynasty.

It is funny how things can drastically change in just 365 days.

This year, there will be lots of introductions in Spurs house. Ginobili retired, Parker left to Charlotte, while Leonard was traded. Popovich is the only one left, and you have to wonder is he facing his biggest challenge just now, after already coaching 23 years in the NBA? Will this be the season when Spurs’ streak of 21 consecutive seasons as a playoff team comes to an end? What’s next for San Antonio Spur and Gregg Popovich?

Contrary to popular belief, Spurs and Popovich should be written off just yet.

This season, although partly a rebuilding one, won’t be the biggest challenge for Gregg Popovich as many people think. Remember he has beaten one of NBA’s most famous superteams in Miami Heat, who had LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in their prime? And that he did it with aging Tim Duncan and inexperienced Kawhi Leonard?

If you are in a mood for debate, then last season was definitely bigger challenge than this one. Spurs were without their best player for all season, and they still managed to snag a playoff spot in a loaded Western Conference. Popovich isn’t one of the best coaches in the history of the league without reason. He knows how to put the players in a perfect position to win, maximizing their strengths and hiding their weaknesses.

Now, although the West is somehow even stronger this year, so are the San Antonio Spurs. Yes, we know that DeMar DeRozan isn’t Kawhi Leonard by any stretch of the imagination, but he represents 22+ points a game player that the team didn’t have last year. Combine that with a reliable LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol, improved Dejounte Murray and talented rookie Lonnie Walker, and you have yourself a team that can get to 48 wins at least. This will probably be enough for 6th through 8th seed once again, and Spurs will keep the streak alive.

Finally, you wonder what’s next for San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich? Well, another NBA championship is out of the question of course. No matter how good Popovich is, his team just doesn’t have the star power to compete with Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets or Oklahoma City Thunder. But, the important thing is that the Spurs won’t end up at the bottom of the Western Conference and will remain relevant for years to come. They will be a team no one will be comfortable facing and will continue to improve as their young players get more experience. Popovich will be able to retire while the team is still winning games, and won’t be a part of the tanking business, securing his legacy as arguably one of two best coaches basketball has ever seen.

This future might not be the one Spurs’ fans were hoping last year, but it will be a lot better than it looks like at the moment.

The post Opinion: What’s Next for San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich? appeared first on SportzBonanza.

With the 98-85 victory over Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs managed to clinch the playoff spot for the 21st consecutive season. This also became the second longest playoff appearance streak (tied with the Portland Trail Blazers) in the history of the league. The Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called the feat “wonderful.”

Although the NBA playoffs without the Spurs seem unimaginable, that was a real option this season. Their best player Kawhi Leonard only played in nine games this season, with the team having to send 25 different starting line-ups due to various problems and injuries. This, combined with the loaded Western Conference, meant that Spurs had to really fight their way into the playoffs.

“It is a different position,” – said Popovich. “We haven’t really been in that kind of a position very often. But all the same, things apply: being humble in wins, learning from losses and moving on, not dwelling on things, just trying to improve. It’s like we’ve said in any other year: We want to be the best team we can be, come playoff time. I think at this point, other than our road play, we’ve gotten to the point where we know our team pretty well. We’re as good as we can get. We’ve got a lot of guys that have really progressed. We all have been frustrated because we wanted to pick up where we left off last year, and that didn’t happen for all the reasons we know. But life goes on. I think under the circumstances, they’ve done a wonderful job of being in this position. Hopefully, we’ll finish it the right way.“

San Antonio Spurs currently sit as the sixth seed in the Western Conference, with one game left to go. If they manage to beat the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, they will secure at least the fifth seed and could even get the four in case Utah Jazz loses one of their two games left.

The post San Antonio Spurs Clinch The Playoff Spot for 21st Consecutive Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.