How in the NBA do people like numbers.
How the best basketball league in the world likes records.
When these two facts come together, then the joy is doubled and multiplied, and one tremendous peak is about to come in the coming days.
The name is Greg Popovich, a loyal NBA legend who has coached the San Antonio Spurs for 26 years.
He has already won five championships with her and made a name for himself there, but starting tonight (Tuesday) he is also signed to history.
San Antonio defeated the Lakers 110: 117, to put Popovic's wins as a regular-season coach at 1,335.
In doing so, he equaled the 12-year-old record of legendary coach Don Nelson (retired in 2010), and already tomorrow against Toronto he will also be able to break it.
1⃣3⃣3⃣5⃣ wins!
Gregg Popovich officially ties Don Nelson for the most regular season wins in NBA history!
👏👏 @ spurs |
#PorVida pic.twitter.com/mZHAZnZJDY
- Bally Sports San Antonio (@BallySportsSA) March 8, 2022
"It's hard to describe in words how much impact he has on the game," said Spurs player Josh Richardson who excelled in tonight's win.
"We have so much respect for Popovic," Lakers coach Frank Vogel added.
Indeed, the respect is great, in part because Popovich recorded all of his victories as the Spurs coach, while Nelson moved between several teams: the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.
Congrats to @spurs Coach Gregg Popovich on tying Don Nelson for the most wins as a Head Coach in NBA History.
He's one win away from being alone at the top as the winningest coach of all-time.
pic.twitter.com/XfhXtIzBzp
- NBA History (@NBAHistory) March 8, 2022
Pop, who was Nelson's assistant at Golden State, reached an astonishing achievement faster than his teacher and rabbi - five years to be exact.
Yes, what Nelson did in 31 years, the Spurs coach did in 26.
And another statistic, probably not surprising: no active coach in the NBA is even approaching the peak that Popovich is going to hold on to in the coming days alone.
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