Pregame: Popovich Says Marco Belinelli is Out vs Grizzlies, Patty Mills to Play

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Before the San Antonio Spurs face the Memphis Grizzlies Sunday, Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich spoke with the media about which players will play in the game and he also discussed some other questions regarding the young Spurs team.

However, before answering questions about the game and team, Popovich wanted to continue to focus on social justice.

Popovich said Marco Belinelli (left foot sprain) is out along with Bryn Forbes (right quad tightness). Due to the loss of guards off the bench, Popovich said Patty Mills will play in today’s game.

Mills didn’t play in any of the scrimmage games nor the opening seeding game against Sacramento. Though Mills is not injured, the objective was to give the younger Spurs guards more minutes during the restart.

Popovich said there’s still a chance Forbes might play in the restart games, it just depends on how he heals from his injury.

Derrick White has been shooting more 3-pointers when he’s either open or the defense goes under on screens. Popovich discussed White’s outside shooting.

“It’s something that Dejounte’s also trying to do,” said Popovich of White taking more 3s. “You don’t shoot 3s, you lose. Derrick has picked it up quickly. That’s another threat on the floor.”

When asked about who is the Spurs’ point guard in lineups, Popovich said in their system on offense, anyone can initiate the offense.

“There are no point guards,” said Popovich. “There’s perimeter players. We don’t care, anyone can bring it up.”

With younger players in lineups like White, Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, and Keldon Johnson, the Spurs want to push the pace.

“I loved it and it’s necessary,” said Popovich of the increase in tempo. “We don’t have 1-on-1 players. We’ve got to do it as a group.”

Lastly, Popovich was asked about how former Spurs players Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker would have handled the bubble environment, and he said they would have been fine there too.

“They would have done it just like every other player. So far the discipline of the players has been great. They would be fine.”

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