On February 3, Beijing time, since Tim Duncan's retirement, the San Antonio Spurs (San Antonio Spurs) have gradually gone downhill. As one of the greatest players in the team's history, Duncan's departure came as a huge shock to the team and marked the beginning of a new era for the team. In this new era, the coaching level of the team's soul Gregg Popovich has also been increasingly controversial.
Popovich is a well-respected coach who has led the Spurs to brilliant success in the first two decades of the 21st century. With his unique tactical vision and excellent leadership skills, he has built a competitive and team player. However, in the post-Duncan era, that all seems to have changed. Although Popovich still has a high level of tactical literacy and excellent leadership skills, the team's results have not been satisfactory.
Over the past few years, the Spurs have been underperforming in the playoffs. Although they have some great players such as Kawhi Leonard and Lamarcus Aldridge, they have always been disappointing when it mattered. The emergence of these problems has raised questions about Popovich's coaching skills.
Some believe that Popovich did not find a suitable replacement after Duncan's retirement. Duncan is an irreplaceable player, and his departure has severely affected the overall strength of the team. In this case, Popovich needed to find a new way to lead the team forward, but he didn't seem to be able to do so.
Others believe that Popovich's tactical system is outdated. In today's era of three-point shooting, Popovich still sticks to his half-court offensive tactics. This tactic may have lost its effectiveness over the past few years, as opponents can defend the Spurs' offense more easily. If Popovich can't update his tactical system in time, it may be difficult for the Spurs to return to their former glory days.
Of course, there are still those who believe that Popovich is still one of the best coaches in the NBA today. They believe that Popovich has faced a lot of challenges over the past few years, but he still led the team to some good results. In addition, they believe that Popovich is a very intelligent and leading coach who is able to bring out the best in the team when it matters most.
To sum up, the controversy over Popovich's coaching level has never stopped. In the post-Duncan era, this controversy is even more intense. However, regardless of the result, we cannot deny that Popovich is a great coach. His contributions to the Spurs are indelible, and he will go on to become one of the greatest coaches in NBA history.