For years, the San Antonio Spurs have been widely recognized as the NBA’s model franchise.
As good as the names on their roster have been over the past decade, one thing remains constant aside from winning games. It’s how they play.
No matter who’s inside the court or who’s active on game day, Gregg Popovich’s wards seem to always stay competitive, and that is a testament to the commitment that the coaching staff and team’s stars have invested for so long that it has become part of the Spurs culture.
San Antonio’s style of play is very similar to how teams in Europe do it. They don’t rely too much on individual skills, as long as they keep on moving the ball and the players hone their fundamentals, they will be in good shape.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today Sports had the chance to talk to Serbia’s coach Aleksandar Djordjevic, and the latter could not help but sing praises to the Spurs’ style.
Serbia coach Aleksandar Djordjevic: "San Antonio's game in last decade showed us how the game should be played.”
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) August 13, 2016
Remember that one game, a few years ago, when the Spurs went up against the Miami Heat, who then had its Big Three intact, and Popovich suddenly decided to give his starters the night off (he also got penalized by the league for doing so)? As lopsided as the rosters looked on paper, that game ended up being a very tightly contested match.
The recipe is out there for everyone to follow. If teams decide to focus on another route and become more successful, Gregg Popovich will still have his men play the game the right way.
Follow Us
Subscribe