LeBron James had San Antonio on his thoughts Wednesday evening, however not as a result of the Lakers face the Spurs on Friday.
He was pondering of one thing else — or, slightly, another person.
The Spurs revealed earlier Wednesday that longtime coach Gregg Popovich suffered a light stroke Nov. 2 on the crew’s enviornment within the hours earlier than a recreation towards the Minnesota Timberwolves. He began a rehabilitation program, the Spurs stated, and is anticipated to make a full restoration.
The sport towards the Lakers on Friday would be the eighth by which assistant coach Mitch Johnson shall be filling in whereas Popovich recovers. It additionally opens the Lakers’ protection of their NBA Cup in-season event championship — one thing James admitted Wednesday he hadn’t even considered earlier than a reporter introduced it up.
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“For me personally, there’s a lot larger information out of San Antonio proper now and that is my pricey buddy Coach Pop,” James stated after the Lakers’ 128-123 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. “I will be pondering closely about him as I journey there tomorrow [for] the sport on Friday. And I am wishing him one of the best of well being, and hopefully I see him quickly. It does not even should be on the sidelines. That’s crucial for me.”
The 2 go method again. Popovich was an assistant coach when a 19-year-old James was a participant on the U.S. males’s basketball crew that gained bronze on the 2004 Olympic Video games in Athens.
Their groups have met within the NBA Finals thrice. Popovich’s Spurs beat James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007, James and the Miami Warmth defeated San Antonio in 2013, and Popovich and the Spurs avenged that loss to the Warmth in 2014.
In 2018, James turned emotional throughout a TV interview whereas discussing the current dying of Popovich’s spouse, Erin.
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“I really like Pop,” James stated. “That’s such a tragedy. My greatest needs exit to Pop and his household. That’s devastating information. It’s so much. The NBA household, all of us stick collectively. I do know we compete each evening, however one thing like this occurs, it places the whole lot in perspective.”
In February, following his forty third regular-season recreation towards the Spurs, James could not assist however throw in a shout-out to Popovich when requested about younger San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama.
“He is particular,” James stated, “and he has an unbelievable coach that is going to make it possible for he does issues the best method.”
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This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Instances.
