Spurs Rumors: Gregg Popovich 'No Doubt' Will Return, Says Anonymous Staffer
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is unlikely to call it quits after a 90-86 Game 7 loss to the second-seeded Denver Nuggets on Saturday in the opening round of the 2019 NBA playoffs.
A Spurs staffer told Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News he had "no doubt" Popovich would return to the team next season.
Popovich's contract expired after this season, and the 70-year-old has coached 23 seasons for the Spurs, but he has given no indication he plans to end his coaching career.
"I'm a head coach in the NBA," Popovich—who led the team to a 48-34 record and a 22nd straight playoff appearance—said Saturday. "I don't think about what that means in the future."
Under Popovich, the Spurs have won five NBA titles and played in six, and he'll surely remain the team's head coach as long as he desires. His coaching job was impressive in 2018-19, especially considering the loss of key guard Dejounte Murray for the season after he suffered a knee injury during the preseason.
That made the Spurs a prime candidate to drop out of the playoff picture, though behind DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge and Derrick White, they kept their streak alive.
Murray's return should help the Spurs keep that run going next year. It may be fair to question the Spurs' upside—barring any major additions, they aren't a title contender given their current roster—but so long as Popovich is on the bench, they'll remain relevant.
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