LET’S TAKE A VICTORIES LAP

A look at Gregg Popovich’s milestone wins and a few other memorable victories on his journey to becoming the NBA’s all-time regular-season leader:

DEC. 14, 1996

No. 1 (Spurs 106, Mavericks 105):

Popovich’s first win came amid controversy over how he came to coach the team. With the Spurs off to a disappointing 3-15 start without injured star David Robinson, then-general manager Popovich shocked the city and the NBA by firing Bob Hill after Hill had guided the team to the Western Conference finals in 1995 and the Western Conference semifinals in 1996. Several players, including Robinson, said they didn’t agree with the move and fans and media ripped Popovich, who was 0-2 before Robinson’s 27-point, 10rebound double-double propelled the Spurs to this win over the Mavericks at the Alamdome.

MARCH 2, 1999

No. 80 (Spurs 99, Rockets 82):

There was plenty of talk about Popovich’s job being in jeopardy after the Spurs started the lockout-shortened 1999 season in such disappointing fashion that veteran Mario Elie went on the record calling the squad soft. It came to a boiling point with a 101-87 home loss to Utah that dropped the Spurs to 6-8. By the time the Spurs arrived in Houston the next day, things had gotten so bad that point guard Avery Johnson called a team meeting. Playing for their coach’s job, the Spurs dominated the Rockets 99-82. They went on to finish the regular season 37-13 and defeat the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals to cap a 15-2 postseason run and give the franchise its first championship.

DEC. 19, 2000

No. 178 (Spurs 87, Rockets 79):

With this victory at Houston, Popovich passed Doug Moe (197680) to become the winningest coach in franchise history. “I’ve been fortunate to be in one place a while with some really good players,” said Popovich, who improved to 178-124 since taking over Dec. 10, 1996. “When that happens, you can win some games. But hundreds of coaches could have done the same thing.” Tim Duncan, who scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, didn’t agree. “It’s the basics that he stresses,” Duncan said. “That’s the key to his success.”

MARCH 2, 2006

No. 500 (Spurs 98, Mavericks 89):

Michael Finley came off the bench to score 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter of a tight game that saw the Spurs carry a lead of just four points into the final quarter at the AT&T Center. Although it was another milestone victory for Popovich, the focus was on Finley afterward. “It’s always good to go against your friends, especially when you come out victorious,” said Finley, who played nearly nine seasons in Dallas before being waived after the 2004-05 season.

DEC. 19, 2009

No. 700 (Spurs 100, Pacers 99):

This milestone win came in dramatic fashion, with Duncan dunking over Roy Hibbert with 4.6 seconds left for the victory. Hibbert blocked Duncan’s first attempt with the clock ticking down before the future Hall of Fame power forward grabbed the ball back and went over Hibbert for the winning score and the last of his 19 points. The Pacers had one more chance to win, but T.J. Ford missed a fadeaway jumper as time expired. It was one of the most exciting regular-season wins of Popovich’s career after the Spurs entered the fourth quarter down 13. With the comeback, he became just the 16th coach in NBA history to reach 700 wins. As always, he deflected any praise and credited his players for the victory. “As has been all season, Tim Duncan is our most consistent player,” Popovich said. “He’s been fantastic.”

APRIL 11, 2014

No. 967 (Spurs 112, Suns 104):

The Spurs improved to 62-18 with this late-season, comefrom-behind win at the AT&T Center, clinching the NBA’s best record and locking up homecourt advantage through the 2014 postseason. With the Spurs determined to win a title after losing in seven games to Miami in the 2013 NBA Finals, it was a significant win for Popovich, Duncan and Co. “It’s a big plus,” Danny Green, who scored a career-high 33 points, said of the home-court advantage. “It’s not something we were focused on, but we know it will help us. We’ll be at home for most of the playoffs.” Two months later, the

Spurs collected their fifth championship by vanquishing LeBron James and the Heat in five games.

FEB. 9, 2015

No. 1,000 (Spurs 95, Pacers 93):

The defending NBA champs rallied from a 14-point, fourthquarter deficit and got an 18-foot baseline jumper from Marco Belinelli with 2.1 seconds left to give Popovich another milestone win, this time in his home state of Indiana. “I’ve been here a long time and I’ve had good players. That’s the formula,” said Popovich, who played high school basketball in Merrillville, Ind. Said Tony Parker, who led the Spurs with 19 points: “We’ve experienced so much stuff together. I’m just very happy for him.”