San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has built a somewhat tough and rugged reputation around the league for his no-nonsense approach to the game of basketball — to those who know him, they know he has a soft spot.

As evidenced by his post-championship celebrations and candid interviews with TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager, ‘Pop' is as much of a goofball as there is in NBA circles.

In a profile piece by Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News, Popovich shared an anecdote of him and his favorite player — Tim Duncan.

“It was the thoughtful act of a father,” he wrote. “Gregg Popovich would go to a Zagat-approved restaurant on the road with his staff, and sometimes, toward the end of the meal, he would ask the waiter for a small carrot cake to go.

He would then leave the package outside Tim Duncan’s hotel door, and Popovich’s original thinking was simple. He knew Duncan loved carrot cake.

But they say this became a road ritual that went on for years, and that the gesture was about more than a late-night snack. It was a nod to partnership and appreciation.”

This story sums up the relationship between the two, it wasn't words but actions that have kept the bond strong between them — actions that might seem insignificant to others, but meant the world to them individually.

The 67-year-old Popovich will start his 20th season with the Spurs, making him the most tenured active head coach in the league — this year will mark only the second year without Duncan at his disposal.

When asked how he felt about playing without Duncan for the first time in 19 years, he said: “Most people aren’t married for 19 years.”

Well said, Pop, well said.