Spurs news briefs: McDyess might change his mind, cricket coach seeks Popovich, and more

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• San Antonio Spurs’ center Antonio McDyess reiterated this will be his final season in the NBA in an interview with fanhouse.com:

“No doubt,” McDyess said in an interview with FanHouse before Thursday’s game at Denver about retiring. “I’ve been in it for 16 years. I’m tired. My body is breaking down. I’m just tired. Enough is enough.”

However, he did say there might be a slim chance he might change his mind:

“I hate to say never, that I won’t (ever play again) because I still love the game,” McDyess said. “But if you ask me right now, it will definitely be, ‘Yes, I’m done after this year.’ … It’s a strong, strong, strong yes (of retiring after this season). … I’m pretty sure I will retire, but I still got friends that still say, ‘Hey, Dice give us one more year.”

If indeed this is his final season in the NBA how fitting would it be for McDyess to win an NBA title before he exits the game. And at the rate this Spurs team is winning, it might not be out of the realm of possibility.

• Tim Duncan’s streak of All-Star appearance might end but Denver Nuggets’ coach George Karl says Duncan has his vote to be in Los Angeles this February:

Nuggets coach George Karl also endorsed Duncan’s status as an All-Star caliber big man, despite the dip in his scoring to a career-low 13.4 points per game in a career-low 28.9 minutes per game.

“He’s still one of the top guys,” Karl said. “If it’s a fourth-quarter game, he’ll be a dominant factor. Defensively, he’s been great.” (source Express News)

• It would appear Spurs’ coach Popovich’s reputation as a phenomenal coach extends globally. In particular, Australia. South Australian cricket coach Andrew Jarman. Jarman, trying to revive his cricket’s team into a winning program sought out Popovich to pick his brain:

Jarman, 44, knows he will have his doubters in the cricket world but he noted how Crows coach Neil Craig last month ventured overseas to seek advice from famed US basketball coaches Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) and Mike Krzyzewski (Duke University).

• Against the Milwaukee Bucks, Manu Ginobili sealed the Spurs victory on the offensive end with a game-winning shot. Against the Nuggets, Ginobili sealed the Spurs victory on the defensive end with by picking up the offensive-foul on Carmelo Anthony. Let’s relive that winning moment from Ginobli one more time:

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• Miss any of the other NBA action besides the Spurs games? Well check out Express News’ Tim Griffin’s post on who played well and who didn’t. Need to read this.