“I’m Safer Here Than I Would be in Texas”: San Antonio Spurs Coach Confident about NBA Bubble

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was initially unsure of joining the team inside the bubble in Orlando.

Popovich, 71, is the oldest coach in the NBA. At this age, Popovich believed it would be better to not to join others in the bubble. But the NBA’s precautionary measures convinced him otherwise.

“I talked to a lot of people, I talked to Adam [Silver], and you find out pretty quickly what he and his staff of many have gone through to put this thing together,” Popovich said (via ESPN). “I honestly do believe, and it’s not just me being a loyal soldier to the NBA, I’ve done my share of criticizing here and there when I thought it was necessary, but I don’t know where else you would be as safe as we are right now. They can’t spoil us here as much as they usually do, before COVID — we’re pretty spoiled, in all kinds of ways. So we’re not as spoiled now, but it’s good for all of us.”

Among the teams that will be participating in the league’s restart, two other teams have coaches older than 65. New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry, 65, and Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni, 69, have been medically cleared to join their respective teams inside the bubble.

“From an intellectual point of view and a medical point of view, I would have to say not probably, but I am safer here — if this bubble works — I’m safer here than I would be in Texas. For sure. As you see what’s going on there,” Popovich further said.

San Antonio Spurs face the threat of elimination

Popovich is not just the oldest coach in the NBA, but also one of the finest. The fact that he has led the Spurs to a winning record in each of his 22 full seasons says a lot about him. Coaching the Spurs since 1996, Popovich has led the Spurs to five NBA titles.

The Spurs have reached the playoffs in each of the last 22 seasons, but the streak is now under threat. Prior to the league’s suspension, they were 12th in the Western Conference with 27 wins in 63 games. Among the teams participating in the league’s restart, the Spurs have among the worst records in their conference. They have a good run in the seeding games. But they might have to participate in a play-in tournament to qualify for the playoffs. It would be quite an achievement if the Spurs manage to extend their playoff streak this season.