When the final whistle of the game goes off, perhaps we can finally say this half subjectively and half objectively:
Popovich is the greatest coach in NBA history.
As for adding or not adding that "one", it depends on the individual.
Anyway, today the Spurs beat the Lakers 117-110, and Bobo's win came to 1335, equaling the old Nelson and tied for the first place in history.
Not long ago, Bobo had just overtaken Wilkens in second place. And now, as long as he wins one more game, the tie for first place will become exclusive.
Wilkens and Nelson, both legendary managers. And there is an essential difference between Bobo and these two legends.
A team.
Nelson has led the Bucks, Warriors, Knicks and Mavericks. Wilkens has also coached six different teams, including the SuperSonics, Trail Blazers and Cavaliers. Only Bobo, the coaching career is only tied to the San Antonio Spurs, this team.
It's just that it's no longer an era where you can use "one team" to promote something, and there are still people arguing about "whether Bobo made Duncan or Duncan made Bobo", the Spurs are only stuck on the edge of the play-offs and ready to rebuild, Rao is not even the team itself, did not say anything about this record.
The first record in history came without waves, probably as Botou said after the game:
'We didn't discuss this in the dressing room, I don't think Popovich cares about the record, not at all, I haven't heard him mention it, I doubt he won't react at all when we win the next game.'
But the meaning of the record is inherently symbolic and remembered. The coach did not respond, but the thorn honey has a memory, the old thorn honey and the new thorn honey, it is difficult not to taste some subjective feelings from some objective figures.
Let's look at those numbers again.
3, is the number of coaches of the year (2003, 2012, 2014) 5, is the number of NBA championships won by Bobo's team (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) 26, is the number of years he has coached the Spurs.
73, is his age.
1335, on the other hand, is the winner.
These numbers contain and overlap, and inside are our memorable moments of the game and the bloody famous scenes. The record changes calmly and naturally, but looking back at the Spurs' two decades of magnificent history.
Back to today's game itself.
The Lakers are probably one of their best opponents. It has been said before that if we take Jordan's last victory in 1998 as a new beginning and the retirement of 2016 as an ending point, we will find that although Iverson Carter Maddy Garnett Dick has contributed his peak to the amazing time of history in each prime time in this long 17 years, the Lakers and Spurs have won 13 Western Conference championships and 10 championships in these 17 seasons. We will find that the Spurs once became the background board for the Lakers' three-game winning streak, but also personally ended their three-game winning streak.
Of course, these are the tears of the times now, and in 2022, the Lakers and Spurs have changed dramatically. But perhaps the meaning of the team is to wind up some fatalistic colors, after all, Popovich is still there, some things are standing, and this contest is also a perfect arrangement.
James is not playing today, and the Spurs side walker, Vassell and Diop are all absent. The classic lake horse battle is thus cloaked in a cloak of rookies pecking at each other.
But the rookie pecking each other is still quite fierce, the Spurs have maintained a slight lead, the Lakers are also tight, to the end of the quarter, the Lakers once wiped out the difference, fortunately, under the leadership of Murray, the Spurs stabilized the situation.
Today I mainly want to praise two new thorns. Richardson and Langford.
Richardson had 18 points, 5 baskets and 2 assists, and was 4-of-5 from three. Today, if there is no bobo first and more half of the history of the delay for a few days, his professional attitude is also quite prickly, the transaction can be said to have no slots, only real incense.
Plug-and-play high-EQ players like binary are the perfect championship team puzzle, with the best 3D qualities at a glance. He is now in a Spurs to keep himself to use very well, if the deal for a first-round pick is not bad treasure veteran image.
Langford also made his Spurs debut today. Unlike Richardson, he is a young player in the same class as KJ. His defense is still quite amazing, and he can stand up to the guarding of Guago, that is, the offensive end still needs to be developed.
There is also a big credit for winning today, that is, Botou. Although it was a little out of state at the beginning, the chain was not dropped at the critical moment. He scored the final seven points, hit two free throws and blocked the win. Although some commentators said that they did not qualify for the start, probably only those who have seen the ball understand the value of our head.
In short, today's game is won without any danger, and if there is another victory, the main task of the season will be completed.
So now the pressure and suspense have come...
Raptors, Jazz, Pacers, Timberwolves, Thunder, and see who will take on this historic backdrop.