Boylen: Too much to do to slow down

MEXICO CITY — It was said somewhat in jest to coach Jim Boylen, but the message was real.

“I told him to slow down, to be honest with you,’’ VP of basketball John Paxson said. “I’ve told him, ‘You can’t change the world in a week.’

“I tell him jokingly because he’s got so many things in his head. He’s trying to get to all of them, and he just needs to settle down, get some sleep.’’ Sleep?

That’s like 10th on Boylen’s priority list in the second week of his regime.

Getting his players ready for the Magic on Thursday night was his first priority, though he wasn’t ignoring Paxson’s request.

“I feel like I gotta be me,’’ Boylen said. “Some of that is me. Some of it is just, we got things we got to get done. Some of it is, we’re putting building blocks in of who I know I want us to be. I take John’s advice very seriously. And I think he’s concerned that you gotta take the necessary steps in the correct order. I’m trying to do that. But I’m excited, too. I’m focused on doing the job.’’

The message is building toughness through hard work. If that means long practices, running suicides and some honest criticism, well, get used to it.

“I’ve been supported to the hilt by ownership and management,’’ Boylen said. “Maybe people make light of this, but I’ve never been clearer in what I believe in, what we need to do, how we’re going to play. What I have to do is install this thing in the correct way to get to where we want to go.’’

Boylen frequently uses Spurs coach Gregg Popovich as a frame of reference. It was pointed out that Popovich is known for a light practice schedule.

“Pop did do that, and he’s terrific at it,’’ Boylen said. “He had a veteran, established team that knew what he wanted, knew the system. In San Antonio, they have standards, standards of behavior, standards of play. We are establishing those, and we can’t do those without practicing, and we can’t do that without being pushed.

“We’re just in a different place than them . . . . I feel good about it.’’