Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle won a title in 2011 with Dallas after leading some — in our opinion — underrated Pistons teams after Larry Brown left early in the millennia. His Mavs also put a dent in the Spurs’ seemingly impenetrable “force” in Game 2 Wed. night with a dominating 113-92 win on San Antonio’s home court. But he still says Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is, “The greatest coach in NBA history.”
The self-proclaimed “Boris Diaw of the San Antonio Express-News coverage team,” Dan McCarney, offered up these gems after Carlisle’s Mavs spanked Popovich’s Spurs during Game 2 in San Antonio:
Carlisle taking his man-crush on Pop to new heights after the game: "The coaching matchup is a wipe out. I feel like I have boulders on me."
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) April 24, 2014
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
More…"I have said this before, I think Popovich is the greatest coach in NBA history, and I don't think it's close."
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) April 24, 2014
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
More…"By the time he gets done he will probably be here longer than Sloan was in Utah, and that's unthinkable that that could happen."
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) April 24, 2014
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Carlisle’s love for Pop led to a pretty spot-on impression during a sideline interview earlier in the regular season. But his Mavs crushed the Spurs on their home court, and were a fourth-quarter collapse in Game 1 from sweeping the team with the NBA’s best regular season record this year in the first two games of their best-of-seven opening round series.
But before you accuse Carlisle of attempting to play some sort of head game with Pop, like Phil Jackson would, and which would fail because Gregg Popovich is basically a field agent for the CIA, McCarney reveals just how earnest Carlisle’s praise was last night:
If I thought Popovich paid any attention to this kind of stuff, I'd think Rick was trying to distract him. But he seems 100 percent earnest.
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) April 24, 2014
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Dirk Nowitzki, for his part, isn’t letting Dallas’ excellent play in the first two games prevent him from buckling down when the Mavs return home for the next two games. In fact, he’s a little worried about playing the next two in the cozy confines of American Airlines Arena:
As for Dirk, going home with split: "It's a little dangerous going home because we've been a good road team all year."
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) April 24, 2014
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
More…"I’m a little worried. I’d rather play Game 3 (in San Antonio), I guess. We can’t relax."
— Dan McCarney (@danmccarneysaen) April 24, 2014
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The NBA’s 2014 Coach of the Year deserves Carlisle’s praise, and we agree with his assessment — even if his self-deprecation is just that. Popovich and the experienced Spurs are the biggest reason the Mavs aren’t exactly resting on their laurels following an impressive opening salvo at the AT&T Center.
Should the Spurs be worried heading to Dallas?
Follow Spencer on Twitter at @SpencerTyrel.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DimeMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
