Der Fremde » After another pair of pars

The San Antonio Spurs, the model for stability and sustained success in the modern NBA, were still a shaken team when they showed up for training camp in October, less than four months after a devastating loss to Miami in the NBA Finals. Don Buse Jersey . Some coaches would try to brush off the disappointment of letting a title slip through their fingers and refuse to acknowledge the elephant in the room. Gregg Popovich took it head on, embraced the heartache, and in a career full of masterful coaching performances, delivered perhaps his finest effort in season No. 18. "The way we lost in the finals wasnt an ordinary loss, it was pretty devastating," Popovich said on Tuesday after being named NBA coach of the year. "We decided that we needed to just face that right off the bat at the beginning of the season and get it out of the way. Dont blame it on the basketball gods or bad fortune or anything like that, the Miami Heat beat us and won the championship and thats that." Popovich joined Don Nelson and Pat Riley as the only coaches in league history to take home the Red Auerbach trophy three times in their career. "Theyre on the hood of my car," Popovich cracked. "One, two, three, right on the car, the way players do license plates. ... Ive got three of those right on the hood." Hes never liked the attention, never bought into the proclamations of his genius. When the accolades come his way, Popovich is quick to deflect them, giving the credit to his players, his assistant coaches, owner Peter Holt and general manager R.C. Buford. The humility in his voice on Tuesday was genuine, the challenge of putting the pieces back together after last seasons finish as daunting as ever. They showed up to training camp still stinging from that defeat, and Popovich had to get to know a new-look coaching staff after losing longtime assistants Brett Brown and Mike Budenholzer to head coaching jobs in Philadelphia and Atlanta. Then he led the Spurs to a league-best 62-20 record, which gives them home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. And he did it while deftly navigating a season filled with nagging injuries to several key players. Tim Duncan was the only starter to play in at least 70 games. No Spur averaged 30 minutes per game and Tony Parker led the team with a modest 16.7 points per game. Despite all of that, the Spurs won at least 50 games for the 15th straight season and topped 60 for the fourth time in that span. "Day after day, year after year, the energy that Pop provides our organization is truly unique," Buford said. The Spurs lead the Dallas Mavericks 1-0 in their best-of-seven series, with Game 2 on Wednesday night in San Antonio. "Hes a gentleman," Spurs swingman Marco Belinelli said. "Everybody knows that hes the best coach in the league. So to say that is not really important. But maybe some people, they dont know hes really a great guy, a great gentleman. He really helps guys, helps each other. He wants to help everybody. Great person." When Miami topped San Antonio in that classic seven-game series, Popovichs reaction resonated deeply within some members of the Heat organization. Instead of showing his disappointment at the final buzzer, Popovich lingered on the court for a few minutes, sharing heartfelt embraces and words with Erik Spoelstra, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James, among others -- even smiling as he chatted with them and congratulated them on winning the title. And when told of Popovichs award Tuesday, James offered high praise to the Spurs coach. "Not surprised," James said. "Its well-awarded. I have the utmost respect for Gregg Popovich, man. Not only what hes been able to do for that team, but him just being able to always keep those guys motivated and always keep their best interests. ... From the outside looking in, it seems that he has their best interests and all he cares about is the teams success and nothing else matters. Thats big-time." Behind all his press conference bluster and the orneriness he directs toward the officials, there is a softer side that endears Popovich to those around him. That much was revealed during Game 1 against the Mavericks when he was interviewed by Craig Sager Jr., who was filling in for his father, a longtime sideline reporter who is being treated for leukemia. Popovichs curt demeanour and one-word answers to the elder Sagers questions have become appointment viewing, but this time the coach stopped in the middle of tense game, stared right into the camera and delivered a heart-felt message. "We miss you. Youve been an important part of all of us for a long time, doing a great job," he said. "We want your fanny back on the court, and I promise Ill be nice." Popovich garnered 59 first-place votes and 380 total points in voting conducted by a panel of media members. Phoenixs Jeff Hornacek (37 first-place votes) finished second and Chicagos Tom Thibodeau (12) finished third in the voting, with Charlottes Steve Clifford and Torontos Dwane Casey rounding out the top five in a season so strong that Spoelstra did not make the top 10. Suns Jerseys 2021 . LeBron James believes hes a major reason for their early failures. Charlie Scott Jersey . Solomon Elimimian did not make the trip with the team after suffering what appeared to be a right leg injury in the teams regular season finale against the Calgary Stampeders. https://www.cheapsunsonline.com/ . Obasi chested the ball past one defender, prodded it past another and then rounded the keeper before scoring from a tight angle in the 16th minute. Seconds after the restart, Obasi set up Klaas Jan Huntelaar for the Dutchmans 11th goal from 13 games this season.Shanghai, China (SportsNetwork.com) - Graeme McDowell fired a 1-under 71 in Saturdays third round and his lead has been cut to one at the WGC - HSBC Champions. McDowell, who has held the lead at the end of each of the first three rounds, finished 54 holes at 11-under-par 205. McDowell has won 10 times on the European Tour and two times on the PGA Tour in his career. He entered the third round with a 3-shot lead and at one point was up by four on Saturday. Moderately pleased, McDowell said following his round. Hit the ball better than I did yesterday. Iron play was a little more solid. Just tricky, cold, a little overnight rain made this golf course play pretty long. All-in-all very happy to be in control, in the lead going into the final day of a WGC against a world-class field. Hiroshi Iwata continues to have a successful week as he carded a 4-under 68 to jump into sole possession of second place at 10-under 206. Martin Kaymer (66), the 2014 U.S. Open champion, and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson (69) are both tied for third at 9-under 207. Rickie Fowler and Tim Clark shot matching 69s and they are tied for fifth at minus-8, while Thorbjorn Olesen (69) and 2012 champion Ian Poulter (72) sit at 7-under 209 through 54 holes at Sheshan International Golf Club. Holding a 3-shot lead through two rounds, McDowell started off strong and then cooled off as the round went on. McDowell opened up with a trio of pars before rolling in his first birdie on the par-3 fourth hole. After another pair of pars, McDowell drained his second birdie on No. 7. After going bogey-free in round two, McDowell tripped to a bogey on No. 8, ending a stretch of 35 straight holes without a dropped shot. Making the turn with a par on nine, McDowell made his third birdie of the day on No. 10, getting him back to 2-under. McDowell was cruising with six straight pars from No. 11 before tripping to another bogey on No. Jevon Carter Jersey. 17, dropping him back to 11-under for the week. McDowell closed out with a par on the last to end there. No complaints. I enjoyed my round today, said McDowell. Looking forward to the challenge tomorrow and like I said Im in good shape ... I have to just go execute my game plan, see where that leaves me come the decision-making holes 14 and 16 and the back nine tomorrow. Iwata, who shot a weeks best 65 in the second round, started off slow on Saturday with a bogey on No. 2. Iwata finished strong on the front nine, however, as he made three birdies in a four-hole stretch from No. 4. He ended the front nine with a pair of pars, making the turn at 2-under. Like the front nine, Iwata went in the wrong direction to start the back nine with a bogey on 11, but that was his final dropped shot of the day. Iwata finished with birdies on 12, 16 and 18, vaulting him into second place heading into the final day. Kaymer made four birdies on the front nine and three more on the back nine to go along with a bogey on No. 15. Watson was up and down all day as he played the front nine at minus-3 with three birdies. A double-bogey on 10 and a bogey on 12 dropped Watson back to even par. Watson made five straight birdies to finish his round on Friday, and he nearly did the same on Saturday as he made four birdies on the final five from 14 to go along with a bogey on No. 17. NOTES: After playing the four par-5s at 3-under on Friday, McDowell was just 1-over with a bogey and three pars on those holes Saturday ... Iwatas only start on either the European or PGA Tours this year was at the British Open, where he missed the cut ... FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel has been having a tough week. A 79 on Saturday dropped him back to 20-over 236. Horschel is 75th out of the 76 remaining players in the field. ' ' '