Good morning. Let’s basketball.
Good morning. Gregg Popovich made history.
That and much more in Tuesday’s NBA newsletter. SUBSCRIBE!
1,000: Gregg Popovich became the ninth coach in NBA history to pick up 1,000 wins, and the first to do it all with one franchise. (Jerry Sloan spent two seasons running the Bulls to start his career.) That’s sort of mutual loyalty between franchise management and a head coach is unprecedented and unlikely to happen ever again. Congrats to Pop. (It’s kind of hilarious that the win came due to a clutch Marco Belinelli jumper considering that just the type of player who suddenly becomes excellent upon arriving in San Antonio.)
WHY ISN’T HE IN THE DUNK CONTEST? K.J. McDaniels sets himself up off the backboard. But that wasn’t the funniest pass of the evening ...
MELO COULD PLAY WITH TODDLERS, TOO: Carmelo Anthony with one of the more inventive passes out of a triple-team you’ll see.
WE HAVE A CHALLENGER: You remember the Steven Adams-Nick Collison handshake of consternation. I think I like the Jeremy Lamb-Perry Jones danceshake even better.
SERIOUSLY NOT NICE: Kevin Durant announces that he is a bad MFer, proves it.
SCORES AND MORE: Check out our NBA Scores hub for recaps on the Clippers’ impressive win over the Mavericks and much more.
GEORGE KARL COMIN’: It now appears, based on numerous reports, that the Kings plan to hire George Karl over the All-Star break on a four-year deal. That means Ty Corbin will be lame duck coaching the Kings’ final two games before the break. (If you’re mad at that, keep in mind that he’d otherwise be lame duck coaching the Kings’ final 32 games, given that there was no chance they’d be bringing him back.) It’s been a messy, public process, but Sacramento ends up with the best unemployed NBA coach, so it’s a win in the end.
TWO NEAT ILLUSTRATED PIECES: Ricky O’Donnell on why the Gasols make the NBA better and Zito Madu on how Anthony Davis is more fiction than human.
SO MUCH POWER: Memphis closes in on the leaders.
DEAN THE PIONEER: Nice piece on Dean Smith’s pioneering use of basketball analytics. Speaking of Dean ...
THE PURPOSE OF COACHES: Really interesting meditation on coaching and what we demand from Eric Koreen.
ALL-STAR PREDICTIONS: Bethlehem Shoals makes All-Star predictions at GQ.
FIX THE DUNK CONTEST: Matt Ufford has three suggestions.
MEET THE NEW RACKED: Racked.com is relaunching today, and it’s gorgeous. If you like fashion, fashion culture, shopping and that whole scene, the new Racked.com is for you.
Happy Tuesday everyone. See you next time.
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