• San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says he doesn’t have rules for the players and treats them as
adults:
“We have basically no rules,” said Popovich, coach of the West All-Stars Sunday. “If I gave my team rules, they’d be offended. For the last 15 years, they’ve conducted themselves in an exemplary manner, and I wouldn’t humiliate them by making them believe I had to give them rules like they were children.” (nba.com)
• Spurs’ Tim Duncan weighs in on if Boston Celtics’ Kevin Garnett is a dirty player:
“That’s part of his game. He tries to get under your skin,” the San Antonio Spurs star said. “He tries to get into your head. He tries to talk to you, whatever it takes. He’s a competitor. I don’t think he’s blatantly dirty. I don’t think he’s out there to hurt anyone. But it’s kind of part of his tactics.” (nba.com)
• Duncan also weighed in on the possible NBA work-stoppage next season:
“Am I concerned there is going to be a lockout? As everybody is saying, there is probably going to be,” said San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan. “I just want to make sure, however many years from now, the guys that come in have a good deal on the table. Just like when I came in, my second year in the league, that’s what the veterans did for us. It was set up for the years now, that we have good deals and we’re getting a fair share. That’s the concern, not for myself or a missed season, that we get the right deal.” (washingtonpost.com)
• Spurs’ Manu Ginobili is not only representing the Spurs at the All-Star game tomorrow, but Argentina and Latin America as well:
“It’s another big achievement to have three (Spanish-speaking) players (in Sunday’s game at Los Angeles’ Staples Center), which will give a greater push to the sport of basketball in all our countries,” Ginobili said.
“Basketball in Latin America has grown enormously. I hope that trend continues,” the 33-year-old Ginobili said. “There’s not much difference compared to my first All-Star Game, except for my age, but I feel honored and happy (to be named for the team) and of course I’m excited and have more experience.” (laht.com)
• Spurs’ Popovich on second-year player DeJuan Blair is becoming a better player:
He’s becoming more and more professional, more consistent, understanding game situations, what’s appropriate and what’s not; Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says of Blair. (usatoday.com)
Hit the jump to read about how to win free tickets to the upcoming Spurs-Oklahoma City Thunder game next week in San Antonio, age impacts the Spurs, Duncan likes to use his inner-voice, and more.
• Does the Spurs’ age impact success?
The front-runners to win the NBA championship so far season includes the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, and Orlando Magic. What do these teams have in common? They are among the oldest teams in the NBA (they make up 6 of the oldest 8 teams in the league).
Whatever the answer, it appears that older teams are more successful in the NBA. (opposingviews.com)
• Find out how Austin Toros player Marcus Cousin did in the D-League All-Star at Project Spurs’ affiliate site Toros Nation.
• The Toronto Sun says Duncan playing in tomorrow’s All-Star game is a fitting tribute.
• Express News’ Tim Griffin talks about unlikely trades by teams in the West who are trying to catch the Spurs.
• The Onion has a hilarious satire and says Duncan told his Western Conference teammates to use their inside voice during the All-Star game tomorrow:
“Guys, seriously, if you don’t know what an inside voice is, then just whisper and you should be fine,” Duncan told his teammates during warm-ups, explaining that they were “well above a seven” and needed to bring it down to “about a three.” “It’s not like we’re 10,000 feet apart from one another. I’m standing right here. I can hear you just fine.” At press time, Duncan was seen hushing a fan in the mezzanine level who had been shouting, “Go Kobe!”
• Follow @projectspurstiq on Twitter for a chance to win two free tickets to the upcoming Spurs-Thunder game in San Antonio next week.
