Chicago Bulls interim head coach Jim Boylen probably has the hottest seat in the NBA right now. After taking over the helm following former coach Fred Hoiberg's firing, it has been a very rough journey for Boylen thus far.
Boylen recently took a bit of a break from the madness going on in Chicago to reminisce about happier times. Having spent two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant to Gregg Popovich, Boylen shared how he was a first-hand witness to the unstoppable prowess of the 2013-14 championship-winning Spurs side.
“Nothing was gonna stop them,” he said, via Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express News. “The togetherness — they played for each other. They are the example I use when I talk to our team about what a sense of team means. We had superstars: (Tony) Parker, (Manu) Ginobili, Duncan, (Kawhi) Leonard. (But) it was the kindest, most respectful team I’ve ever been a part of.”
That was, indeed, a truly epic Spurs side. One that would topple the Big 3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, 4-1 in the 2014 NBA Finals.
Boylen went on to explain why he considers that particular Spurs group to be one of the best teams in the history of the sport.
“I think there’s some misconceptions that you’ve got to be a certain way to win,” he added. “(But) there was no negativity, no vulgarity. It was just a group that played hard and played for each other. … I think it’s one of the greatest teams ever, in my opinion.”
Unfortunately for Boylen, he is in a much more troublesome scenario right now, with a team that absolutely pales in comparison to the 2014 Spurs. Hopefully, he is able to apply at least some of the things he learned during his brief stint under coach Pop to the Bulls who are currently on a free fall.
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