The Intense Coaching Tactics of Gregg Popovich: A Glimpse into the Mind of a Basketball Legend

LeBron James Reflects on Coach Pop's Tough Love in the NBA Finals

LeBron James had the opportunity to face the legendary coach of the San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, several times in his career. Therefore, the four-time NBA Champion knows a good deal about Coach Pop’s competitive fervor. On the latest episode of his Mind The Game podcast, James recalled one of his intense Coach Pop memories while facing the Spurs in an NBA Finals game.

Coach Pop's Meticulous Coaching Style Revealed

Coach Pop has always been meticulous about his players maintaining their best form during a game, especially in the postseason. During an NBA Finals contest against the Spurs, LeBron James was surprised when Popovich called out Danny Green, who allowed James’ team to score a three-pointer. The decision was not surprising. What was surprising was that it came in the first few minutes of the game.

With 11 minutes and 52 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Popovich called a timeout for the Spurs.

He seemed visibly angry at Danny Green and reprimanded him harshly. LeBron described the moment as follows, “I didn’t even know if they made the damn three, but he [Pop] called a time-out right away. Got on Danny Green. ‘What the f**k  Danny.’[imitating Coach Pop] Got on his ass, took him out, brought him back in. But obviously, they had something in place and then they executed.” 

The impact of Coach Pop's coaching style on the Spurs

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