Spurs pay tribute to Popovich before Wemby sparks NBA win / Photo: Ronald Cortes - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
-
Basil Tuma Scores First Senior Goal as Malta Draws with Ten-Man Eswatini
-
RSC’s ‘Julius Caesar’ Reimagined in Women’s Prison Setting for School Tour
-
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Announced; Attendance List Shrinks
-
Thomson Reuters Integrates CUBE Regulatory Intelligence into CoCounsel Legal
-
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Announces Transaction in Own Shares - November 13
-
How Families Plan and Save for Holiday Travel
-
Below Deck alumnus João Franco and brother arrested after fatal Turkey fight
-
Ole Miss inquiry expands after video and monkey-noise allegations
-
Thousands of Urban Homes Left Without High-Speed Internet Due to Broadband Blackspots
-
General Hospital actor Randall England dies at 75
-
Bunnie XO artwork taken down from Jelly Roll’s Nashville bar
-
London museum removes Russell Brand hair exhibit after rape conviction
-
Arlington sentinel rebukes Pete Hegseth entourage for laughter near memorial
-
Yella Beezy sentenced to life for arranging rapper Mo3’s murder
-
Kylie Jenner employee describes closet ordeal and pepper-spray incident
-
Authorities to identify Montauk Mary and five other Long Island cold-case victims
-
Davante Adams injury deepens Los Angeles Rams receiver shortage
-
Barbie sequel negotiations stall over reported $25 million pay packages
-
João Franco’s earlier post draws attention after arrest over fatal Turkey brawl
-
Bath & Body Works launches buy-one-get-one-free candle offer
-
Alberta Launches $5M Fund for Women’s Neurology Research to Address Gender Gaps
-
Itlu Arjuna receives U/A certificate ahead of theatrical release
-
Dhananjaya de Silva guides Sri Lanka to 221-4 against Pakistan
-
Niraj Kumar earns Los Angeles Olympic quota with 50m rifle bronze
-
Delhi gold loses Rs 800 while silver falls Rs 5,000
-
India extends micro-credit guarantee plan for five years
-
Madlanga Commission Deadline Extended to 2027 Amid Calls for Structural Justice Reform
-
Pradeep Antony, Smeha Manimegalai portray secret spouses in Mr & Mrs Office
-
Zelenskyy arrives in Dublin for meetings on Ukraine and peace efforts
-
Woman barred from every Greggs outlet after series of offences
-
Jury hears social-media image helped identify teen in Scarlett Faulkner case
-
Ketchup packets link suspect to break-in at Eddie Rocket’s restaurant
Spurs pay tribute to Popovich before Wemby sparks NBA win
On a Sunday when the San Antonio Spurs paid tribute to long-time coach Gregg Popovich, Victor Wembanyama made sure the unbeaten NBA club celebrated a victory as well.
The 7-foot-4 (2.224m) French center scored 31 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, blocked six shots, passed off four assists and made three steals to spark the Spurs over Brooklyn 118-107.
San Antonio improved to 3-0 to start the campaign while the Nets, despite 40 points from Cam Thomas, fell to 0-3.
Terence Mann's jumper lifted Brooklyn within 108-107 with 2:47 remaining but the Spurs answered with a 10-0 closing run, "Wemby" hitting two free throws and a dunk in the concluding spurt.
Without ceremony, the Spurs displayed a new banner among the list of retired player numbers hanging from their arena ceiling that said: "Pop 1,390" and below a Spurs logo the words "Hall of Fame."
The banner recognized Popovich's NBA record total of 1,390 career coaching triumphs and his 2023 enshrinement into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
There were five stars across the top of the banner, one for each of the five NBA titles the Spurs won under Popovich's guidance.
Popovich, 76, suffered a stroke last November and stepped down as coach of the Spurs five games into the 2024-25 campaign with current head coach Mitch Johnson promoted to replace him on first an interim then permanent basis.
Three-time NBA Coach of the Year Popovich, who guided the United States to Tokyo Olympic gold, spent 29 seasons as coach of the Spurs and now serves as president of basketball operations.
This is the first full season since 1996 without Popovich as head coach of the Spurs.
The NBA is still reeling from the arrest of Miami guard Terry Rozier and Portland head coach Chauncey Billups as part of an FBI investigation into sports betting and gambling.
Both Rozier and Billups have been placed on administrative leave by the league.
Each club won its first game since the arrests last Thursday and return to the court later on Sunday with Portland at the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami entertaining New York.
The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Slovenian star guard Luka Doncic when they visit Sacramento later on Sunday.
The Lakers said Doncic has a left finger sprain and lower left leg bruise and will be reevaluated in about one week. The Lakers face visiting Portland on Monday, visit Minnesota on Wednesday and Memphis on Friday and welcome Miami to LA next Sunday.
Y.Kobayashi--AMWN