Gregg Popovich is officially the all-time winningest coach in NBA history. The 26-year coach had the great honor of accomplishing this lifetime achievement in front of the San Antonio crowd that has been his home for the better part of three decades.
Gregg Popovich Becomes All-Time Winningest Coach
Against the Odds
Popovich and the Spurs accomplished this record in a surprising, come-from-behind win against the Utah Jazz. San Antonio stormed back in the fourth quarter, beating the Jazz to the tune of a 40-28 fourth-quarter score. An output made even more surprising by the measly 14 points scored in the previous period.
The Spurs were led in scoring by Dejounte Murray, who had an impressive stat line of 27 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and five steals. It was a real team effort for San Antonio, with six players scoring in double figures for the night. Zach Collins and Lonnie Walker IV were impressive from the bench. Additionally, Keldon Johnson, Jakob Poeltl, and Josh Richardson contributed on the offensive end. The Spurs will look to turn this win into a streak tonight against the Pacers at home.
Utah’s starting lineup struggled from the field, with the exception of Donovan Mitchell, who led the team with 24 points. Jordan Clarkson and Hassan Whiteside were big in reserve minutes, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the struggles of Mike Conley (2-14 FG) and the rest of the starting five. The Jazz will have a chance to wipe this game from their memory tonight against the Sacramento Kings.
The Number One Spot
With Popovich’s 1,336th victory, he officially Passes Don Nelson as first all-time in regular-season wins. It’s fitting that Popovich is the one to break Nelson’s record. The 26-year head coach once served as an assistant coach to Nelson for two seasons (1992-94).
Popovich already owned the record for most combined regular and postseason wins, which leaves only one more record for him to chase should he desire to do so. Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers Legend Phil Jackson owns the record for most playoff wins with 229. Popovich currently sits at third, just one win behind Pat Riley’s 171.
While the Spurs may make the postseason this year through the play-in, the odds of Popovich sticking around long enough to break this record are slim to none. At 59 games behind, Pop and the Spurs would need at least four more postseasons to have a shot at this. However, they would need to win the NBA title in three of those seasons in order to break Jackson’s record.
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End of an Era
The Gregg Popovich era is likely coming to an end. The five-time NBA Champion and 2020 gold medalist will be a Hall of Famer. Many fans hope to see the coach return for one more season and a shot at a farewell playoff run. I hope we get to see that, but if Popovich does hang them up after this season, he’ll rightfully do so as the winningest coach in NBA history.
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