Gregg Popovich Quotations

We responded well from a real tough loss last night. That's what a coach always looks for. It was great to come out angry enough to try to put last night out of their heads. We played well most of the night, but a lot of the fuel for that came from last night.

We would probably never put him and Timmy in the same room, ... because they never would find out when practice is.

We tried everybody on him -- and he was great.

Nellie came down to the Virgin Islands to see how we prepare for the season,

He helps people to be better, and he allows people to reach their highest level, because roles can be fit around him very easily.

He hasn't shot like that thus far, and that's helped us do a variety of things as far as pick-and-roll defense. But when he's making that shot, it makes everything a lot tougher.

He's just had a tough time. Maybe it's emotional in some sense for him. I'm not sure.

He's been playing All-Star basketball the entire year. His maturity is really showing. He's always aggressive.

It always has been that people didn't think we were for real,

I think it's a reasonable thought that if it went beyond the All-Star break that would make it difficult to do something.

I think that (cutoff date) is getting close, probably. I can't imagine it being too far past the All-Star break.

Our philosophy here is kinda like participatory management,

Malik can play inside and out. He?s versatile. Not having him for Game 1 was a huge factor for us.

We know it?s a weakness. You get to the final four teams, those things rear their head.

The pieces have to fit around him. The fortunate thing for us is that it seems that, given enough talent, all pieces fit around Timmy. He figures it out.

Timmy is important to us, and we feel it is important for him to know he is important, rather than just giving him a contract and paying him to play basketball. We want him to know we really do care about him. This has been a little tougher than going to France or Argentina, because there's not really a place to play in the Virgin Islands. But the University of the Virgin Islands was so gracious and accommodating, it worked out well. The biggest problem was probably getting everyone there.

Timmy didn't have his best night, ... but that's going to happen now and then.

We're not playing well. It's a miracle we have the best record in the West.

Both teams were fantastic. It was a really good win against a very, very good basketball team. We played very, very well. That's the bottom line. We both played well. There were a couple of stretches that were not that great, but it's a 48-minute game and that happens.

Both teams predicate what they do on defense. They (both) are pretty demanding in that sense.

The defense seemed to get better as the game went on. It's a progression we like to see.

There can't be a more fantastic choice as a coach or a person. Being a college coach or a pro coach is irrelevant, ... There couldn't have been a better choice made. That's all there is to say.

We were playing a lot closer at the end of the season. They're a little bit ahead of us.

Very important. He wants to win one very badly.

Flip has upped their offense. He has them really confident in what they're running offensively, but they're also one of the best defensive teams in the game.

Every time we got within four or five, they would get an offensive rebound.

These sort of challenges is what he loves the most, to go in and teach and make it better,

The team kept their composure well when we were down.

People get a little bit more cautious. People want to take care of the ball, value possessions a little bit more.

Anybody that doesn't get a kick out of watching our team play should look in the mirror. It reflects more on them.

That's for other people to decide. We approach it exactly as every other year. Our big mantra is boring as hell. We don't want to skip any steps.

There were a lot of good contributions by a lot of people. It worked out well for us. We had pretty good overall defense and good offense, but a little sloppy. The good defense carried us through.

They're a fine basketball team. Terry has done a great job of coming in and putting in a new system and then having the team respond to it.

The more time that goes by the more difficult it is. Regardless of whether it's Karl Malone, if we were to make a trade, if we were going to add somebody, I would think you would have to make any changes to your team at the latest by then to give everybody time to integrate.

It mostly means that everybody is going to play unselfishly, respect each other's achievements, play hard enough every night to give yourself a chance to win, to fulfill your role.

I told them both they should only come here for the right reasons. But hey, look, it all starts with Tim.

It's always great to get somebody else in who's been so successful with it. He's good enough to come down here as his season is about to begin, and we're really thankful he did that.

It's been pretty easy in the sense that I have a group that knows exactly who they are and what they've accomplished. We haven't reached some mythical, rarefied level where everybody's afraid of us and they can't touch us. That doesn't exist.

That just killed us. They did a great job, really pursued the ball, played very physical in that regard and that was huge in getting them the win.

It was a great night. It was a win-win for everybody. It was really great for the people who were so unfortunate during the hurricane.

It was a great game. Both teams played very competitively and did very well.

I?m just thrilled that David ends his career with a game like that. His effort was really wonderful. He really dug down deep and showed how important it was for him to help us get this victory.

I'll be checking minutes more than I've ever checked before, and making sure that people are getting enough playing time. Some nights, that'll be a real tough thing to do.

In the three games we've watched them play, they've gone from a 2 to a 5 to an 8 on a 10 scale. They've got a great coach, they've been in these situations before, and they know how to get ready for the final round. By the time that comes, they're going to be as good or better as they were last summer.

If you think about it and look back at the Detroit series, ... we played seven people, period. You have to be pretty fortunate to just play seven people in a series like that, so we can use more people, without a doubt.

In Phil's case, I was personally thrilled he came back, because I think it's huge for the league. When you think about what he's done and how many championships he's won, there's always drama when he comes back in.

Timmy, he's the beginning of it. He doesn't have to be the end all the time now.

Nothing. I was confused for two years. I didn't understand anything and I'm still confused.

They won't choose Joakim Noah as the MVP, but I think it's great that he's in the conversation and he should be. But it's just not the way it works, from my experience. It's got to go in the basket for you guys to pay attention to somebody. But he's pretty damn valuable in my opinion.

I don't think we'll shoot 76 percent in a half ever again. That's crazy.

I'm not one to blow smoke at my players. They kicked our butts on the offensive boards. And it's not just because the ball came their way.

You have to make shots to win basketball games and we didn't do that. You also have to get back on defense, so it was a double-whammy.

A reporter started off: "I know a lot of this is kind of speculation." Popovich interupting: "You're going to ask me anyway." Reporter: "And you're going to shoot it down." Popovich replied: "Next question."

I asked them if it wasn't too much trouble, if I wasn't being too pushy, if they could execute what we were trying to do. And if it didn't make them too angry, if they also wanted to play some defense on the other end, that would be great.

I'm pleased that they performed as well as they did while we've been in Miami and that's about as far as it goes. Now, we've got to go home and play as well or better.

Stop by stop by stop. Play aggressively. Sprint back on 'D' and pay attention to how we're supposed to guard as a team

We changed our rules. If a player does not have some sot of altercation on or off the court once each month, we fine him...The guys that are our top four scorers, each of them will be required once every two months to appear on MTV. The guys who shoot the worst free throws over a one-month period, next time we have a TV game they're required to look into the camera and beat their chests after they make a good play.

The older you get the more you try to appreciate what you've accomplished.

Basketball is a pretty simple game. What wins is consistency and competitiveness.

It's never been my goal to be king of the prom. It's been my goal to do the right thing and get the job done.

'Play the right way' means play unselfishly, respect each other's achievements, play hard, fulfill your role

Basketball's a game of mistakes.

We would have two less championships here if it was not for Manu Ginobili. In my eyes, he's the stud of the world.

No one is bigger than the team. If you can't do things our way, you're not getting time here and we don't care who you are

The measure of who we are is how we react to something that doesn't go our way.

I try not to get impressed. I just try to look at what I see.

It's not about any one person. You've got to get over yourself and realize that it takes a group to get this thing done

We believe in people executing their role and caring about the team more than anything individually

I can't make every decision for you. I don't have 14 timeouts. You guys got to get together and talk

He accepts people. He makes them feel comfortable. He helps make the pieces fit around him.

You can only like the guy so much. After a while, it's 'OK, OK, we get it.' It's like a farewell tour.

You want to give everyone a run so they get in shape.