Sacramento’s loss to Memphis on Thursday did more than just hand the Spurs a spot in the West’s play-in tournament. It also made it easier for Gregg Popovich to leave the team to attend Tim Duncan’s induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
With the Spurs locked into 10th place and set to face the ninth-place team on the road Wednesday, Popovich skipped Saturday’s game to travel to Uncasville, Conn., for the ceremony honoring the class of 2020.
Popovich is expected to return in time to coach the Spurs in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Suns, set for 1 p.m. at the AT&T Center.
Assistant coach Mitch Johnson was acting head coach in Popovich’s absence. Popovich handed the reins to Johnson because he scouted the Suns.
Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon became the first woman to coach an NBA team when she took over for Popovich on Dec. 31 this season after he was ejected during a game with the Los Angeles Lakers. Popovich said afterward he went with Hammon because she had scouted the Lakers.
Saturday’s game marked the first full game Popovich has missed since March 3, 2020, when Duncan, then an assistant coach, guided the Spurs against the Hornets in Charlotte while Popovich was attending to personal business.
“We (the coaching staff) approach it the same way we always do — we collaborate, work as a team, approach the game as a group as to what can help the guys and put them in positions to be successful,” Johnson said before Saturday’s game.
“Obviously, it’s different today with Pop not here, as he is our leader and head coach. But we have dealt with it a time or two the past year or so. He is not getting kicked out of the game or anything, so we had a little bit more time to plan for it.”
Johnson said he appreciated the chance to guide the team. He was promoted to assistant coach in November 2020 to replace Duncan, who returned to retirement after a one-season stint on the bench next to Popovich.
“I’ve had a lot of firsts in my time with the Spurs, and they have all been great opportunities,” Johnson said of his head-coaching debut. “That’s one thing Pop and the organization has been great about — not just developing the players, but everybody else in the organization. I am excited about it, but at the end of the day, it’s Game 71, just trying to continue to get the guys better.”
If the Spurs win Wednesday, they will play the loser of the clash between the seventh- and eighth-place teams on the road Friday, with a berth in the playoffs as the No. 8 seed at stake.
Williams sorry
to miss ceremony
Suns coach Monty Williams, who counts Duncan as one of his best friends after playing and coaching with the Spurs, applauded Popovich’s decision to attend the induction ceremony.
“He and Tim are such a wonderful partnership and combination. … I am thankful and happy (Pop) is going,” Williams said.
Williams said he “toyed” with the idea of attending the ceremony had Saturday’s game been scheduled to start at night rather than 1 p.m. and had the induction started earlier in the day rather than late in the afternoon.
“I was working it out in my mind how to rent a jet, which I’ve never done before, so I could get up there and just hug Tim and come right back,” Williams said.
Williams’ final season as a player with the Spurs was Duncan’s rookie season of 1997-98.
“I’m pretty bummed they didn’t move (the ceremony) to later in the year or maybe did it over (the) All-Star break or something, although that would have been tough too because it was in the middle of COVID,” Williams said. “So there is no right answer. I just wanted to be there for my friend. You miss a lot of stuff with your kids doing this job, and then you miss stuff like this for people you care about.”
Seven sit out
against Suns
The Spurs faced the Suns without four starters and three other players, leaving them with just eight available players.
Small forward DeMar DeRozan (rest), center Jacob Poeltl (rest), point guard Dejounte Murray (sore lower back) and shooting guard Derrick White (sprained right ankle) were the starters who sat out. The missing reserves were Rudy Gay (sore right heel), Trey Lyles (sprained right ankle) and Luka Samanic (broken left finger).
Johnson started Patty Mills and Lonnie Walker IV in the backcourt and Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and Drew Eubanks in the frontcourt. It was Mills’ first start since Nov. 20, 2019, and just his third in the past three seasons.
“All year we have had injuries, COVID, circumstances, crazy schedule, so with that and being a young team, there have been a lot of opportunities for young guys with development and development through meaningful minutes, and today is no different,” Johnson said.
torsborn@express-news.net
Twitter: @tom_orsborn
