Spurred on: Popovich craves teaching time with a young team

By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Gregg Popovich had ample time for a nice New York dinner, as long as a gut-wrenching loss didn’t ruin his appetite. He still loves New York, though coronavirus rules and regulations limit how much he can enjoy it now. Just like New York is no longer the same, neither are the Spurs. After five championships during a run of 22 straight postseason appearances, the Spurs could be staring at a third straight season out of the playoffs. It’s not the winning that Popovich misses. It’s the teaching and team-building time that’s so hard to find during another season altered by the virus.