Spurs Stay Humble, Driven As Championship Rings, Regular Season Await

In just a few hours, the 2014-2015 NBA season launches with the San Antonio Spurs hosting the cross-state rival Dallas Mavericks. Before the game officially begins and they start to look forward, though, Gregg Popovich and company will have one more chance to reflect on their championship – the Spurs are raising a banner and receiving rings just minutes before tip-off. And though they’ll always cherish memories of the beautiful basketball that led to San Antonio’s crowning achievement, Popovich and Manu Ginobili insist the Spurs won’t rest on their laurels in pursuit of defending their title.

In a must-read story by Michael Lee of The Washington Post, the pair of future Hall-of-Famers each stressed urgency of the present despite success of the past.

Ginobili says that unlike previous dynasties that made a title-defense seem imminent, the Spurs must work tirelessly to remain on top of the mountain. He remembers first-hand how San Antonio’s previous chances to repeat as champions went.

“The times we didn’t win is not because we didn’t have it. Things happen,” Ginobili said. “Most of the years, we were in a great situation. It’s just only one team can end up winning. It’s not like we’re the Bulls in ’93. We aren’t the best by far. We’ve got to fight it. We’ve got to work hard. Things have to go our way.”

The Spurs have failed to successfully defend their title on all four occasions, and only advanced to the Western Conference Finals in one of those seasons. So while the notion that San Antonio isn’t “the best by far” seems ridiculous after its breathtaking play against the Miami Heat just a few months ago, Ginobili is right to be cautious. It’s been assumed before that the Spurs would lap the field after winning the Finals, only for their season to go awry.

While Ginobili’s comments are humble and heartening, they’re hardly necessary. Popovich would never let his team gloat for too long. As San Antonio readies to face another Western Conference power later tonight, the reigning Coach of the Year sarcastically predicted that Dallas would dominate the Spurs. It’s the growth to be forged from such defeats that will help San Antonio keep its sights on the goal at season’s end.

“It was the most enjoyable experience of my coaching career, to watch them have that kind of success after such a debilitating loss in the Finals the year before. And the fact that they did what they did, is just an amazing tribute to their fortitude,” Popovich said. “We’re going to talk to them about the measure of who they are is how they can sustain that. And what we’ll do is, every time we lose two or three in a row; opening night, when we lose by 30 to Dallas when we get our rings, I’ll be right on top of them. You’ve got to start all over, nobody cares.”

True.

But it sure is tough to forget the brand of basketball the Spurs played in June. And until they tip-off against the Mavericks just shortly after 8:00EST on TNT, nobody has to.

What do you think?

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