By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-10-14 09:19:13
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
2024 年 10 月 9 日星期三，在圣安东尼奥举行的 NBA 季前赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇（左）在上半场与后卫克里斯·保罗（3 号）交谈。
迈阿密——桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(Sandro Mamukelashvili)知道，马刺队教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)近年来在处罚球员方面一直面临着挑战。
“他有很多年轻球员都渴望学习，”这位 25 岁的锋线球员说。“当然，在某些时候，当他们不断犯错时，你必须告诉他们。就像我告诉我的狗一样，‘如果你再犯错，你就得进笼子。五秒钟，然后你再出来。’这是你必须学习的东西。”
而且惩罚不会仅仅是关在笼子里五秒钟。
当波波维奇在赛前媒体见面会上被问及他今年是否会以不同的方式执教时，他就提出了一个话题：他会让球员们明白，本赛季他对重复犯错的容忍度会降低。
“也许会赢球，”波波维奇说。“这应该是个不错的主意，嗯？”
马刺队在过去两个赛季中都只赢了 22 场比赛，自 2018-19 赛季以 48 胜 34 负的成绩取得胜利以来，他们就再也没有享受过胜利的赛季了，那也是他们最后一次进入季后赛。五年的季后赛荒是俱乐部历史上最长的，此前马刺队曾连续 22 次打进季后赛，并获得了五次 NBA 总冠军，追平了历史纪录。
波波维奇一直谨慎地不在战绩方面设定本赛季的预期目标，但在马刺队以 126-120 击败爵士队之前，他确实暗示，他希望球员们在执行力和停止持续犯同样的错误方面做得更多。
“我认为，如果说有什么不同的话，那就是容忍度降低了一点，”这位 NBA 历史上胜场最多的教练说。“从（训练营）一开始，我们就……在责任感方面更加自律，知道错误经常发生——（告诉球员们）‘你现在需要明白这一点。’”
在 20 岁的球星中锋维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)（上赛季的 NBA 年度最佳新秀）和 39 岁的未来名人堂控球后卫克里斯·保罗（Chris Paul）（今年夏天签署了一份为期一年的合同）之间，是一份主要由效力球队三个或更多赛季的球员组成的名单。这个核心阵容包括凯尔登·约翰逊(Keldon Johnson)（六个赛季）、德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)（四个赛季）、特雷·琼斯(Tre Jones)（四个赛季）、扎克·科林斯(Zach Collins)（三个赛季）、杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)（三个赛季）、布雷克·韦斯利(Blake Wesley)（三个赛季）和马拉基·布拉汉姆(Malaki Branham)（三个赛季）。
波波维奇没有指名道姓地提到他们中的任何一个人，但他暗示，他希望看到这群人“在职业责任感方面做得更多”。
“在犯错方面，给予的回旋余地会缩小一些，随着他们年龄的增长，这种情况会出现在所有人身上，”他说。
波波维奇说，上场时间可能取决于球员们是否表现出他们不容易犯过去困扰他们的那些错误。
“（有）这么多位置和这么多时间，我们将不得不做出一些决定，”他说。“上场时间将是来之不易的，非常有价值，表现出色的人显然会上场。与过去相比，犯错较少的人将意味着更多。”
球员们表示，他们欢迎波波维奇对他们提出更高的要求。马刺队（2 胜 1 负）将于周二晚上对阵热火队（1 胜 1 负），然后在周四客场挑战休斯顿，结束季前赛。
“今年的心态不同了，我认为每个人都反应良好，”效力马刺时间最长的约翰逊说。“这只是在建立正确的心态，这样我们才能上场赢球，因为我们知道不能重复犯错，还期待一个好的结果。你必须全神贯注，集中精力，了解（球探报告）。”
马刺队是上赛季 NBA 最年轻的球队，所以当他们犯错时，波波维奇会更加宽容。但他的方法在本赛季会有所不同，因为球队的情况发生了变化，一名球员说。
“我们很多人在过去几年里都没有经历过很多这样的经历，”琼斯说，“但现在我们已经经历过了，而且我们也引进了帮助我们学习这些东西的人，所以你不能一遍又一遍地犯同样的错误。如果我们想赢球，就没有这样的空间了。”
从波波维奇对季前赛首场输给俄克拉荷马城的反应中，球员们收到了一个明确的信号，那就是本赛季将有所不同。
“我没料到波波维奇教练会如此一丝不苟，”文班亚马说。“他对我们的第一场季前赛进行了非常详细的回顾。”
波波维奇呼吁加强责任感，这一点在他要求马刺队在过去两个赛季防守端表现不佳后必须提高防守水平的过程中得到了突出体现。
“我们确实更加重视教学和实际演练，尤其是在防守方面，”科林斯说。“我们知道这是过去几年困扰我们的一个难题，所以我们都在努力改进。但（教练们）已经定下了基调。”
2024 年 4 月 5 日星期五，在新奥尔良举行的一场 NBA 篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队教练格雷格·波波维奇在上半场朝马刺队前锋桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利（54 号）大喊大叫。（美联社照片/马修·欣顿）
最重要的是，球员们知道执行力取决于他们自己。如果他们失败了，等待他们的可能是关进笼子。
“当你不执行的时候，我知道他们必须惩罚你，”马穆克拉什维利说。“在教学方面，他们教得非常好。总会有错误发生，但错误应该会减少。”
保罗和在休赛期通过交易从萨克拉门托国王队得到的征战了 13 个赛季的老将哈里森·巴恩斯(Harrison Barnes)将协助波波维奇完成他的使命，为球队带来更多的责任感。
“感觉他非常睿智，而且经验非常丰富，”波波维奇在谈到保罗时说。“有时候，我只是听得入迷，听他对球员们说的话，然后我说，‘我应该想到这一点的。’他很好地指导了他们，而且是以正确的方式。他让他们对自己感觉良好。”
波波维奇准备采取更加严厉的爱的方式。
“（保罗和哈里森）是另外两个需要（责任感）的人，这是肯定的，所以从这个意义上说，这很有帮助，”波波维奇说。“但我让蒂姆（邓肯）(Timmy [Duncan])、马努（吉诺比利）(Manu [Ginobili])、托尼（帕克）(Tony [Parker])或维克多（文班亚马）(Victor)去年承担责任没有任何问题。这对我来说不是问题。”
至于马穆克拉什维利，他打算保持低调，服从命令。
“我尽量不让自己引起注意，”他说。“有时候他会告诉我，在防守方面我需要做些什么才能做得更好。我尽量做一个好孩子，不要被关进笼子里。因为我讨厌把我的狗关进笼子里。”
2024 年 10 月 12 日星期六，在圣安东尼奥举行的 NBA 篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇（右）在下半场与马刺队后卫克里斯·保罗（3 号）交谈。（美联社照片/达伦·阿贝特）
2024 年 10 月 9 日星期三，在弗罗斯特银行中心举行的与奥兰多魔术队的 NBA 季前赛上半场，圣安东尼奥马刺队教练格雷格·波波维奇在与后卫克里斯·保罗（3 号）和中锋维克多·文班亚马（1 号）交谈。圣安东尼奥以 107-97 击败了奥兰多。
2024 年 4 月 9 日星期二，在田纳西州孟菲斯举行的一场 NBA 篮球比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在下半场向球员们喊话。（美联社照片/布兰登·迪尔）
2024 年 4 月 2 日，科罗拉多州丹佛——圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在第一节比赛中指导球队对抗丹佛掘金队。致用户：用户明确承认并同意，下载或使用此照片，即表示用户同意盖蒂图片社许可协议的条款和条件。
2024 年 3 月 23 日星期六，在弗罗斯特银行中心举行的与菲尼克斯太阳队的 NBA 比赛中，圣安东尼奥马刺队教练格雷格·波波维奇在上半场与前锋杰里米·索汉打招呼。菲尼克斯以 131-106 击败了马刺。
2024 年 3 月 22 日星期五，在德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥的弗罗斯特银行中心，圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在下半场对阵孟菲斯灰熊队的比赛暂停期间与中锋维克多·文班亚马（1 号）交谈。马刺队以 99-97 输给了灰熊队。
2024 年 3 月 17 日，德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥——维克多·文班亚马（1 号）和圣安东尼奥马刺队主教练格雷格·波波维奇在穆迪中心与布鲁克林篮网队的比赛前交谈。
点击查看原文：Gregg Popovich wants accountability, fewer mistakes from Spurs
Gregg Popovich wants accountability, fewer mistakes from Spurs
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, left, talks with guard Chris Paul (3) during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024.
MIAMI – Sandro Mamukelashvili knows Spurs coach Gregg Popovich faced a challenging situation in recent years when it came to disciplining his players.
“He has a lot of young guys who are so motivated to learn,” the 25-year-old forward said. “Of course, at some point you’ve got to tell them when they keep messing up. Like I tell my dogs, ‘If you keep messing up, you’re going in the crate. Five seconds, and then you come out.’ It’s something you’ve got to learn.”
And the punishment won’t be just a five-second stay in the crate.
The topic of putting the players on notice that he will be less tolerant of repeat mistakes this season arose when Popovich was asked in his pre-game media session if he would coach differently this year.
“Maybe winning,” Popovich said. “That wouldn’t be a bad idea, huh?”
The Spurs have won just 22 games in each of the past two seasons and haven’t enjoyed a winning season since going 48-34 in 2018-19, which also marked the last season they made the playoffs. The five-year postseason drought is the longest in club history and came after the Spurs forged a record-tying run of 22 consecutive postseason appearances highlighted by five NBA titles.
Popovich has been careful not to set expectations for this season in terms of the record, but he did suggest before the Spurs beat the Jazz 126-120 that he expects more out of his players when it comes to execution and ceasing to make the same mistakes on a consistent basis.
“I think if anything it’s a little less tolerance,” the NBA’s all-time winningest coach said. “We have been since the beginning (of training camp) … a little bit more disciplined in the sense of accountability, knowing that mistakes happen too often – (telling players) ‘You need to understand that by now.’”
In between 20-year-old star center Victor Wembanyama, last season’s NBA rookie of the year, and 39-year-old future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul, who signed a one-year contract in the summer, is a roster consisting mainly of players with three or more seasons of service with the franchise. That core includes Keldon Johnson (six seasons), Devin Vassell (four), Tre Jones (four), Zach Collins (three), Jeremy Sochan (three), Blake Wesley (three) and Malaki Branham (three).
Popovich didn’t mention any of them by name, but he hinted he would like to see a “little more professional accountability” from that group.
“The leeway that is given as far as mistakes are concerned shrinks a bit, and that comes with all of them getting older,” he said.
Popovich said minutes could hinge on players showing they aren’t susceptible to making the same errors that plagued them in the past.
“(There are) so many positions and so many minutes, and we are going to have to make some decisions,” he said. “Minutes will be hard-earned, valued to a great degree, and people who are performing well, obviously, they are going to be out there. People who don’t make as many mistakes as other people, it’s going to mean more than it did in the past.”
Players said they welcomed Popovich holding them to higher standard. The Spurs (2-1) face the Heat (1-1) Tuesday night before ending the preseason at Houston on Thursday.
“Different mentality this year, and I think everybody’s responding well,” said Johnson, the longest-tenured current Spur. “That’s just building the right mindset so we can go out there and win, knowing you can’t have repeated mistakes and expect a great result. You got to be locked in, focused, know the (scouting report).”
The Spurs were the NBA’s youngest team last season, so Popovich was more forgiving when they made mistakes. But his approach will be different this season because the team’s dynamics have changed, one player said.
“A lot of us didn’t have a lot of those experiences we went through the last couple of years,” Jones said, “but now that we’ve had them and now that we’ve brought in guys that are helping us learn those things as well, you can’t make those same mistakes over and over again. There’s no room for that, if we want to win.”
The players received a clear signal from Popovich that this season will be different with his reaction to the preseason-opening loss to Oklahoma City.
“I didn’t expect Pop to be so meticulous,” Wembanyama said. “He really dotted the i’s. We had a very detailed review of our first preseason game.”
Popovich’s call for increased accountability has been highlighted by his demand that the Spurs improve defensively after struggling on that end of the court the last two seasons.
“We’ve definitely put more of an emphasis on teaching and actually drilling things a lot, especially defensively,” Collins said. “We know that’s been a tough thing for us the last couple of years, so we’ve all tried to make an effort to get better. But (the coaches) have set the tone.”
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich yells in the direction of Spurs forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Friday, April 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Bottom line, the players know it’s up to them to execute. And if they fail, time in the crate could be forthcoming.
“When you don’t execute, I understand they’ve got to punish you,” Mamukelashvili said. "Teaching-wise, they teach us so good. There will always be mistakes – but there should be less mistakes.”
Aiding Popovich in his mission to bring more accountability to the team will be Paul and 13-year veteran Harrison Barnes, acquired via trade from Sacramento in the offseason.
“It just feels like he is so wise, and he has so much experience,” Popovich said of Paul. “Sometimes I get mesmerized just listening to him say things to players, and I say, ‘I should have thought of that.’ He mentors them well and he does it the right way. He makes them feel good about themselves.”
Popovich is prepared to take more of a tough-love approach.
“(Paul and Harrison are) two more bodies that will demand (accountability), that’s for sure, so in that sense it helps,” Popovich said. “But I didn’t have any problem making Timmy (Duncan) accountable or Manu (Ginobili) or Tony (Parker), or Victor (last) year. That’s not a problem for me.”
As for Mamukelashvili, he plans to keep his head down and practice obedience.
“I try to stay out of sight," he said. "Sometimes he tells me what I need to do to be better defensively maybe. I try to be a good boy and stay out of the crate. Because I hate putting my dog in the crate.”
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, right, speaks with Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich talks to guard Chris Paul (3) and center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half of their NBA preseason game with Orlando at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, Oct 9, 2024. San Antonio beat Orlando 107-97.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich calls to players in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 02: Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs directs his team against the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter at Ball Arena on April 02, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich greets forward Jeremy Sochan as he comes off the floor during the first half of their NBA game with the Phoenix Suns at the Frost Bank Center on Saturday, March 23, 2024. Phoenix beat the Spurs 131-106.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich talks to center Victor Wembanyama (1) during a timeout in the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Frost Bank Center on Friday, March 22, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The Spurs fell to the Grizzles, 99-97.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 17 Victor Wembanyama #1 and head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs talk before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Moody Center on March 17, 2024 in San Antonio, Texas.
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News