By Michael C. Wright | ESPN, 2024-11-05 12:03:00
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。
洛杉矶——由于主教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)因健康问题无限期缺席圣安东尼奥马刺队，控球后卫克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)表示，球队希望“努力打球，为波波而战，因为他树立了标准”。
“你们这些年在这里都看到了。我们也都看到了，”保罗说道。“所以，我们现在想要专注的事情就是上场打球。因为我们知道如果我们不防守，我们就知道我们会听到他的批评。”
消息人士告诉ESPN的沙姆斯·查拉尼亚(Shams Charania)，75岁的波波维奇在周六战胜明尼苏达森林狼队之前出现了健康问题，而接替他并带领球队以113-103获胜的助理教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)将担任临时主教练，从周一对阵洛杉矶快船队开始，到周三在休斯顿的比赛都将继续执教。
39岁的约翰逊在周一赛前的记者见面会上发表了一份声明，透露他在周日与波波维奇进行了交谈，波波维奇并没有随队参加这两场客场比赛。
“我想首先要说的是，波波对我们球队的影响，从他执教的球员到与他共事的员工，再到圣安东尼奥社区，”约翰逊说。“这很难用言语表达清楚，如果我尝试，也无法做到公正。他个人对我来说意义非凡，而现在他的健康是第一位的。我们百分之百地支持他，我昨晚和他谈过了。他精神状态很好。他没事，我们迫不及待地想让他回来。”
当被问及在没有这位美国四大职业体育联盟中任期最长的主教练的情况下，他对球队的寄语是什么时，约翰逊说：“一切照常。”
“只需保持我们一直以来的信息传递，”他说。“当他在这里的时候，他会做很多授权和委派工作。奇怪的是，我并不觉得我必须做一些非常出格的事情。我们有布雷特·布朗(Brett Brown)、马特·尼尔森(Matt Nielsen)这样的（助理教练）和我一起坐在替补席上。我们有一支出色的教练团队，波波授权他们努力执教和领导。所以，我认为这只是继续做我们一直在做的事情。显然，这是一个很难接替的职位，我们将作为一个团队来完成。球员们在这方面也做得很好，他们也挺身而出。”
球队还没有具体说明波波维奇何时可能回归，约翰逊说他“无权”讨论此事。
保罗说，自从波波维奇出现健康问题以来，还没有球员和他谈过，并补充说球队只是想“给他一些空间”。尽管如此，保罗说马刺队还是忍不住注意到了波波维奇的缺席。
“当你来到球馆时，会有一些特定的事情。你知道你会看到这个人，你会有一些不同的例行程序，”保罗说。“所以，任何时候有什么事情打乱了常规，感觉都会不一样，尤其是像波波这样的人。但我认为我们队的球员们，我们都渴望上场打球。我们知道他会看着我们。他会让我们知道他看到了什么。我们队里的所有球员、工作人员，每个人都非常想念他，因为他就是波波。所以，当他在场的时候，会有一种让每个人都平静下来的感觉。”
波波维奇是NBA历史上的胜场王（1390场），其中包括170场季后赛胜利和5个总冠军，这是他在马刺队的第29个赛季。
波波维奇在2023年7月获得了一份5年8000万美元的续约合同，这使他的年薪提高到1600万美元，使他当时成为NBA薪酬最高的教练。波波维奇毕业于美国空军学院，曾在美国空军服役，1996年开始担任马刺队主教练。他的季后赛战绩为170胜114负，在NBA历史季后赛胜场榜上排名第三，仅次于菲尔·杰克逊(Phil Jackson)（229胜）和帕特·莱利(Pat Riley)（171胜）。
波波维奇于2023年8月入选奈史密斯篮球名人堂。
“我不知道发生了什么事，但我为他祈祷，”快船队主教练泰伦·卢(Ty Lue)说。“希望他身体健康，早日康复。波波对我们的比赛，对我们的教练们来说都意义重大。每当我们去参加教练会议时，他都是那个站出来确保我们得到我们应该得到的东西的人。他为比赛所做的一切。他会公开谈论所有政治问题。他是我们追随和倾听的人之一。他总是支持我们以及球员。所以，希望他早日康复。”
点击查看原文：Paul, Spurs determined to compete 'hard' for Popovich amid absence
Paul, Spurs determined to compete ‘hard’ for Popovich amid absence
LOS ANGELES – In the wake of coach Gregg Popovich’s indefinite absence from the San Antonio Spurs due to a health issue, point guard Chris Paul said the club wanted “to play hard and compete for Pop because he set a standard.”
“You guys have seen it here for years. We all have,” Paul said. “So, that’s the thing that we want to try to focus on right now is going out there and playing. Because we know if we don’t defend, we know we are going to hear about it.”
Popovich, 75, suffered a health issue before Saturday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and assistant Mitch Johnson – who took over and guided the team to a 113-103 win – will serve as the interim head coach indefinitely, starting Monday against the LA Clippers and continuing Wednesday in Houston, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Johnson, 39, gave a statement during his pregame availability with reporters Monday, revealing that on Sunday he spoke with Popovich, who did not travel with the Spurs on their two-game trip.
“I just want to start off by saying that Pop’s impact on our organization from the players that he’s coached and the staff that’s worked with him in the community of San Antonio,” Johnson said. “It’s hard to articulate or put into words, and if I tried it would not do it justice. He’s been tremendous for me personally, and right now his health is the No. 1 priority. We support him in that 100 percent and I talked to him last night. He’s in good spirits. He’s OK, and we can’t wait to have him back.”
When asked about his message to the team as it moves forward without the longest-tenured head coach in all four of the U.S. professional sports leagues, Johnson said, “regularly scheduled programming.”
“Just stay consistent with the messaging that we have had,” he said. “He does so much empowerment and delegation when he is here. In a weird way it doesn’t feel like I have to do something super outlandish. We have [assistants] Brett Brown, Matt Nielsen, who have been on the bench with me. We have a great staff and people that all have voices that Pop empowers to coach hard and to lead. So, I think it’s just kind of continuing to do what we do. Obviously, these are big shoes to fill and we’re going to do it as a group. The guys have been great, and the players have stepped up as well in that regard.”
The team hasn’t specified a timeline for when Popovich might return, and Johnson said he was “not at liberty” to discuss the situation.
Paul said none of the players have spoken to Popovich since his health issue, adding the team simply wants “to give him his space.” Still, Paul said the Spurs can’t help but notice Popovich’s absence.
“There’s certain things when you come into the arena. You know you’re going to see this person, you’re going to have these different routines,” Paul said. “So, anytime something breaks up, the routine it’s different, especially with someone like Pop. But I think the guys on our team, we’re excited to go out and hoop and play. We know he’s going to be watching. He’s going to let us know what he sees. All the guys with our team, staff, everyone definitely misses him because he’s Pop. So, there’s a feeling when he’s in the room that just calms everybody.”
The NBA’s career wins leader (1,390), which includes 170 playoff victories and five championships, Popovich is in his 29th season with the Spurs.
Popovich received a five-year, $80 million contract extension in July 2023, which increased his salary to $16 million per season, making him at the time the NBA’s highest-paid coach. An Air Force Academy graduate and former U.S. Air Force officer, Popovich took over as head coach of the Spurs in 1996. He holds a postseason record of 170-114, which ranks No. 3 on the NBA’s all-time playoff victories list behind Phil Jackson (229) and Pat Riley (171).
Popovich was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in August 2023.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but I said prayers,” Clippers coach Ty Lue said. “Hopefully he’s well, has a speedy recovery. Pop’s been so much to our game, to our coaches. Anytime we go to a coaches’ meeting, he’s the one that steps up and makes sure we get what we’re suppose to get. Just everything he’s done for the game. He speaks out on all the politics. He’s one guy that we follow and we listen to. He’s always got our back as well as the players. So, hopefully, he has a speedy recovery.”
By Michael C. Wright | ESPN, via ESPN