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NBA winners and losers: Gregg Popovich as a voice of reason
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich had a nuanced take on potential national anthem protests. Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports

NBA winners and losers: Gregg Popovich as a voice of reason

The NBA season is less than a month away, but the first week of training camp has already given us plenty to talk about, because, well, this is the league in which everything becomes a talking point. Soon the preseason will start, and we can scrutinize the limited minutes of superstars and get excited about potential breakout candidates at the back end of every team's rotations. For now, we have winners and losers from this week. 

Winners  

Gregg Popovich

With most teams holding media day on Monday, the central topic of conversation surrounded San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest and what players would do, along with how coaches would react if their players wanted to make a statement themselves. Gregg Popovich, the same man who has become a cult figure for his curt sideline interviews, was direct and thorough in his response when asked about the topic.

"I think it's really dangerous to answer such important questions that have confounded so many people for hundreds of years, to ask me to give you my solutions, as if I had any, in 30 seconds," Popovich told the media. "So if you want to be specific about a question, I'll be more than happy to answer it because I think race is the elephant in the room in our country. The social situation that we've all experienced is absolutely disgusting in a lot of ways. What's really interesting is the people that jump right away to say, one is attacking the police, or the people that jump on the other side. It's a question where understanding and empathy has to trump, no pun intended, has to trump any quick reactions of an ideological or demagogical nature. It's a topic that can't just be swung at, people have to be very accurate and direct in what they say and do."

Popovich also went on to illustrate exactly why keeping an open mind about the nature of the protests and the points being raised is pertinent, saying, "It's easier for white people because we haven't lived that experience. It’s difficult for many white people to understand the day-to-day feeling that many black people have to deal with. It’s not just a rogue policeman, or a policeman exerting too much force or power, when we know that most of the police are just trying to do their job, which is very difficult. I’d be scared to death if I was a policeman and I stopped a car. You just don’t know what’s going to happen. And part of that in our country is exacerbated by the preponderance of guns that other countries don’t have to deal with. It gets very complicated."

If the NBA was looking for a definitive statement or voice on that matter, Popovich provided it.

On a lighter note, it was revealed throughout Tim Duncan's career, Pop used to leave carrot cake — possibly the Tim Duncan of desserts — at Duncan's hotel room door:

On Wednesday, Duncan — who has a yet-to-be-determined front office position with the team — showed up to the team's practice facility, prompting Pop to joke he should have fined him for missing the first two days of training camp. It appears Duncan will be around the team for most of the year:

More carrot cake for everybody!

Philadelphia 76ers fans

The 76ers have won 47 games in the last three seasons. Combined. If they even hit half of that win total this year, the fan base will rejoice. Actually, wins and losses might not matter. All 76ers fans want to see is Joel Embiid actually on the basketball floor and Ben Simmons blossoming into the next superstar of the league. Both are possible, because anything is in September, and because neither player has played a single NBA minute yet.

For Sixers fans, who have waited and sat through all the "trust the process" jokes and seen their savior Sam Hinkie cast to the sidelines in favor of a more ordinary-thinking general manager in Bryan Colangelo, anything Embiid does is cause for celebration. So I can imagine the entire city of Philadelphia going crazy this week when this photo from Sixers scrimmage surfaced:

It's setting up to be an exciting year in Philadelphia. Finally.

  James Harden

At 27, James Harden is heading into the most important season of his career. The referendum on whether you can win with Harden as your main guy is ongoing and will only intensify this season.

Harden's skill set is clear. He's among a handful of guys in the discussion for best one-on-one offensive players in the league, capable of scoring 30 points a night with his array of jump shooting, ability to attack the basket and a savant-like ability to draw fouls. His effort on the defensive end leaves a lot to be desired and often becomes the counterpoint to anyone suggesting you can win a championship with him.

Harden enters this season with a head coach in Mike D'Antoni whose singular goal appears to be to maximize Harden's skills on the offensive end. There's been some back-and-forth about whether Harden will actually be the point guard on the team by designation, but by design it's clear the ball will be in Harden's hands as much as possible. D'Antoni's had uneven stops in New York and Los Angeles, and this is the roster that has a chance for him to recapture some of the Seven Seconds or Less magic that catapulted him to stardom in Phoenix.

Harden is the perfect player for it, and by all accounts, there's no other coach in the league who seems as determined to make sure his superstar player surpasses expectations on the floor. It's September, but this has the feel of a perfect player and coach tandem. Now, about that defense...

Tyronn Lue

Tyronn Lue told a great story this week about how he collected money from players and coaches after Game 5 of the NBA Finals and hid it in the ceiling in the coaches office at Oracle Arena, to show confidence in his players that they would come back and get it in Game 7, which they did.

The Cavs' comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals helped cement many careers, including those of LeBron James, Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and even J.R. Smith. And you know what else it did? It gave Lue a championship before he's even coached a full season in the NBA. Add to the fact he's got LeBron squarely on his side — something David Blatt and other past coaches haven't had — and I have to say Lue is living a pretty nice life in Cleveland right now.

Losers  

Brooklyn Nets

Carmelo Anthony

This was the summer of Carmelo. He was the leader of the gold medal-winning team in Rio. He became the league's leading force in social activism. He was spotted in New York (more accurately, recorded by his wife LaLa) to his local bodega in a robe wearing an Olympics hat. He was the people's champion, a care-free superstar who was growing up before our eyes and living life to the fullest.

And then, he returned to the Knicks this week:

Welcome back to real life, 'Melo.

Anderson Varejao

Anderson Varejao has what I would term a conundrum. He said earlier this week the Cavaliers — the team he spent his entire career with until the middle of last season — have offered him a championship ring for being part of the team for a portion of their championship run, but he has yet to decide whether to accept it. The conundrum: Varejao ended up joining the Warriors, the team that came within a game of winning the title before losing three straight to the Cavaliers.

Some pros and cons.

Pro: Varejao — one of LeBron's closest friends — spent many years putting his body on the line for the Cavs. Even if it's an honorary ring, he should accept it.

Con: Once the news comes out that he accepted the ring offer, Warriors teammates might shun him in the locker room for accepting a gift from the enemy.

Pro: You play the game to win a championship, and regardless of the circumstances, you should totally take the ring. Worst-case scenario it has no sentimental value and you can pawn it in 20 years.

Con: You're accepting a ring from the team that came back from 3-1 down to beat you in the Finals and the team you're likely going to face in the Finals again this year.

I could go on. If I had to choose, I would accept the ring and deal with the awkwardness and guilt later. It's still a championship ring.

Every point guard who has ever played with Dwyane Wade

A healthy dose of disrespect to Rafer Alston, Bimbo Coles, Damon Jones, Keyon Dooling, Gary Payton (OK, way past his prime), Jason Williams (same), Mike Bibby, Mario Chalmers and Goran Dragic.

OK, maybe Wade has a point... 

Quote of the Week

Video of the week

Can you name every NBA player to record a 40+ pt game between 1999-2017?

Team(s) listed are teams players played for at the time of their 40+ point game.

SCORE:
0/171
TIME:
15:00
LAL - 135
Kobe Bryant
PHI/DEN - 81
Allen Iverson
CLE/MIA - 76
LeBron James
SEA/OKC/GSW - 54
Kevin Durant
ORL/HOU - 49
Tracy McGrady
OKC/HOU - 42
James Harden
MIA - 41
Dwyane Wade
DEN/NYK - 40
Carmelo Anthony
OKC - 39
Russell Westbrook
TOR/NJN/ORL - 34
Vince Carter
LAL/MIA/PHX - 33
Shaquille O'Neal
GSW - 32
Stephen Curry
GSW/WAS - 30
Gilbert Arenas
DAL - 27
Dirk Nowitzki
BOS - 24
Paul Pierce
PHX/NYK - 22
Amar'e Stoudemire
MIL/SEA/BOS - 15
Ray Allen
NOP - 15
Anthony Davis
CLE - 14
Kyrie Irving
NJN/PHX/NYK - 14
Stephon Marbury
POR - 13
Damian Lillard
MIL - 12
Michael Redd
MIN/CLE - 11
Kevin Love
GSW - 11
Klay Thompson
TOR/MIA - 10
Chris Bosh
SAC/NOP - 10
DeMarcus Cousins
DET - 10
Jerry Stackhouse
TOR - 9
DeMar DeRozan
SAS - 9
Tim Duncan
GSW - 9
Monta Ellis
CHI - 8
Jimmy Butler
CHI/NYK/GSW - 8
Jamal Crawford
LAC - 8
Blake Griffin
GSW/WAS - 8
Antawn Jamison
WAS - 8
Michael Jordan
SAC/HOU - 8
Kevin Martin
NOH/LAC - 8
Chris Paul
GSW/CHA/PHX - 8
Jason Richardson
BOS - 7
Isaiah Thomas
POR - 6
LaMarcus Aldridge
SAS - 6
Manu Ginobili
CHI/DET - 6
Ben Gordon
WAS/DET - 6
Richard Hamilton
ORL - 6
Dwight Howard
ATL - 6
Joe Johnson
SEA - 6
Gary Payton
WAS - 6
John Wall
SAC - 5
Mike Bibby
IND - 5
Paul George
SAS - 5
Tony Parker
POR - 5
Brandon Roy
CHA/POR - 5
Gerald Wallace
NOH - 5
David West
MIN - 5
Andrew Wiggins
WAS - 4
Bradley Beal
CLE/MIN - 4
Ricky Davis
MIN - 4
Kevin Garnett
IND - 4
Danny Granger
DET - 4
Grant Hill
NYK - 4
Allan Houston
GSW/WAS/CLE - 4
Larry Hughes
MIN/UTA/CHA - 4
Al Jefferson
UTA - 4
Karl Malone
IND - 4
Reggie Miller
IND/CHI - 4
Jalen Rose
DEN - 4
J.R. Smith
DEN/DAL - 4
Nick Van Exel
CHO - 4
Kemba Walker
SAC - 4
Chris Webber
UTA/NJN/BKN - 4
Deron Williams
PHX - 3
Eric Bledsoe
UTA - 3
Carlos Boozer
CHI/LAC - 3
Elton Brand
MIL/MIN - 3
Sam Cassell
MEM/CHI - 3
Pau Gasol
MEM/SAC - 3
Rudy Gay
IND/NYK - 3
Al Harrington
NJN - 3
Devin Harris
ATL/GSW/CHA - 3
Stephen Jackson
SEA - 3
Rashard Lewis
TOR - 3
Kyle Lowry
HOU - 3
Cuttino Mobley
PHX - 3
Steve Nash
POR - 3
Zach Randolph
NYK - 3
Nate Robinson
CHI - 3
Derrick Rose
NYK - 3
Latrell Sprewell
MIN - 3
Karl-Anthony Towns
CLE/MIN - 3
Mo Williams
WAS/LAL - 3
Nick Young
ATL - 2
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
GSW - 2
Baron Davis
DEN - 2
Danilo Gallinari
NJN - 2
Richard Jefferson
PHX/NJN - 2
Jason Kidd
SAS - 2
Kawhi Leonard
NOH - 2
Jamal Mashburn
MEM/DAL - 2
O.J. Mayo
POR - 2
C.J. McCollum
DEN - 2
Antonio McDyess
MEM - 2
Mike Miller
UTA - 2
Paul Millsap
HOU - 2
Yao Ming
POR - 2
Clifford Robinson
SAC/NOH - 2
Peja Stojakovic
ATL - 2
Jason Terry
SAC - 2
Marcus Thornton
BOS - 2
Antoine Walker
LAL - 2
Lou Williams
ORL - 1
Arron Afflalo
MIL - 1
Giannis Antetokounmpo
HOU - 1
Trevor Ariza
PHX - 1
Leandro Barbosa
TOR - 1
Andrea Bargnani
MIN - 1
Michael Beasley
DAL - 1
Rodrigue Beaubois
DET - 1
Chauncey Billups
BKN - 1
Bojan Bogdanovic
PHX - 1
Devin Booker
MIN - 1
Corey Brewer
HOU - 1
Aaron Brooks
WAS - 1
Caron Butler
LAL - 1
Andrew Bynum
GSW - 1
Jordan Crawford
NYK - 1
Eddy Curry
PHX - 1
Tony Delk
CHI - 1
Luol Deng
VAN - 1
Michael Dickerson
PHX - 1
Goran Dragic
NOP - 1
Tyreke Evans
DAL - 1
Michael Finley
HOU - 1
Steve Francis
MEM - 1
Marc Gasol
LAC - 1
Eric Gordon
PHX - 1
Gerald Green
BOS - 1
Jeff Green
UTA - 1
Gordon Hayward
DAL - 1
Josh Howard
DET - 1
Reggie Jackson
MIL - 1
Brandon Jennings
IND - 1
Anthony Johnson
DEN - 1
Nikola Jokic
DEN - 1
Linas Kleiza
MIN - 1
Zach LaVine
PHX - 1
Shawn Marion
LAL - 1
Jodie Meeks
UTA - 1
C.J. Miles
POR - 1
Darius Miles
POR - 1
Andre Miller
NJN - 1
Anthony Morrow
MIA - 1
Alonzo Mourning
CLE - 1
Lamond Murray
IND - 1
Jermaine O'Neal
UTA - 1
Mehmet Okur
ORL - 1
Victor Oladipo
LAC - 1
J.J. Redick
LAC - 1
Quentin Richardson
MIL - 1
Glenn Robinson
BOS - 1
Rajon Rondo
TOR - 1
Terrence Ross
LAL - 1
D'Angelo Russell
HOU - 1
Luis Scola
MIL - 1
Ramon Sessions
POR - 1
Damon Stoudamire
DET - 1
Rodney Stuckey
MIN - 1
Wally Szczerbiak
TOR - 1
Charlie Villanueva
POR - 1
Rasheed Wallace
GSW - 1
C.J. Watson
POR - 1
Bonzi Wells
SEA - 1
Damien Wilkins

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