Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich will miss the Spurs’ two-game road trip starting Monday due to a health issue, with US media reporting assistant Mitch Johnson will serve as interim coach for an indefinite period. Johnson, speaking before the Spurs’ game against the Clippers in Los Angeles on Monday night, said the 75-year-old coach was “OK.”
“Right now his health is the number one priority,” Johnson said. “I talked to him last night. He’s in good spirits. He’ll be OK — he is OK — and we can’t wait to have him back.” Johnson had taken over for Popovich on Saturday about two-and-a-half hours before the Spurs’ home victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves because of an unspecified health issue for “Pop.”
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“He’s not feeling well,” Johnson told reporters at the weekend. “This has happened before. I think everybody’s just always got to be ready for the next man up…He’s just not feeling well.” Popovich had been in charge when the Spurs beat the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Thursday.
After Monday’s game, the Spurs travel to Houston to play the Rockets on Wednesday before hosting Portland on Thursday. Popovich is the NBA’s all-time leader in victories for a coach with 1,390 regular-season wins and another 170 post-season triumphs. He has guided the Spurs to five NBA titles in his 29 seasons at the helm.
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