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One of the more pressing questions of the 2012-13 season is whether or not Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had been made aware of the hip- hop track produced in his honor by an Israeli rap group, appropriately and simply named “Popovich.“ (See below.) Stephen Jackson gave us the answer after Wednesday’s victory over the Raptors: Not only has Popovich seen it, he used it to prank the Spurs before their last preseason game. We’ll let Captain Jack explain: “He was showing some film of me messing up, getting on me real hard. I was like, ‘You know what Pop, I don’t even want to play basketball. I’d rather do this. Kick it!’ And they played two of my videos. And Pop was like, ‘You know what? Don’t worry about it Jack. I got my own video.’ It was pretty cool.” Boris Diaw deemed the stunt “hilarious” while noted music aficionado Matt Bonner also gave his seal of approval. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Matt Bonner, Gregg Popovich, Stephen Jackson, Boris Diaw 

Duncan, Gregg Popovich told media representatives from Boston to Orlando, should not have been excluded last season and is playing even better this season. Duncan intends to put a halt to any and all future stops on Popovich’s Tim-for-All-Star tour. “I will not be campaigning,” he said. “I haven’t heard what Pop’s been saying, but I guess I’ve got to talk to him. “I wouldn’t complain if I’m not on the (All-Star) roster. I want to play well and want to feel good about what I’m doing on the court, but I am not going to be unhappy if I don’t make it.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan 

Emiliano Carchia: Russian Federation offered the bench of the National Team to Gregg Popovich who turned it down due to personal reasons, per Championat Twitter @SportandoBasket

San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Gregg Popovich, Russia 

Like a missed shot or an errant pass in the course of a game, the Spurs say they have moved on from the spate of off-court incidents that have embroiled the club in controversy, real and perceived, for the past two weeks. Others may have found the incidents dramatic, but not Spurs coach Gregg Popovich or his players. “It’s drama to other people, but things happen and we move on,” Popovich said after his team’s morning shootaround for tonight’s game against the Rockets at Toyota Center. “We don’t even discuss it. Nobody even talks about it. “We don’t worry about any of it. I don’t bring it up. Players don’t bring it up. It’s like when you’re in a game. You make a mistake and you move on. You miss a shot and you move on. Something off the court happens and you move on.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan 

Second-year forward Kawhi Leonard, out since Nov. 16 with left quadriceps tendinitis, is on the four-game road trip that began in Charlotte. But don’t expect to see him on the court before the team returns from the coast-to-coast excursion that continues tonight in Houston and concludes Friday night in Portland. Coach Gregg Popovich says there is no chance Leonard will play in any of the three games that remain on the trip. “I don’t know why he’s here,” Popovich said before Saturday’s game in Charlotte, a 132-102 victory in which the Spurs made a franchise record 19 3 -point shots. “It’s camaraderie crap. Ask the trainers why he’s on the trip. Maybe save your per diem and have a meal on the plane? I don’t know.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, Kawhi Leonard 

Head coach Gregg Popovich said he hadn’t seen the photo when asked about it on Monday. Teammate Manu Ginobili, who attended the same party as Zorro, said the photo was “very innocent.” “If somebody dressed like Pop was there,” he said, “I probably would have done the same thing with my little sword. I think it was a joke. ” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, Referees, Joey Crawford 

Through spokesmen, the league and the Spurs declined to comment on the photo Monday, which first surfaced via the popular website Deadspin.com over the weekend and has gone viral. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was genuinely perplexed when asked about the snapshot after practice Monday afternoon, saying he was not aware of it. Duncan and Parker did not address the media. It is unclear whether the picture might draw further disciplinary action from NBA commissioner David Stern, who last week fined the Spurs $250,000 for Popovich’s decision to send four key players — including Duncan and Parker — home early from a six-game road trip to rest. San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Gregg Popovich, David Stern, Tim Duncan, Referees, Joey Crawford 

Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who attended the Halloween party in question dressed as Zorro, said he hoped the photo would be taken for what it was — a portrayal of a light-hearted moment in the middle of a private event. “It was Halloween,” Ginobili said. “If somebody dressed like Pop was there, I probably would have done the same thing with my little sword. I think it was a joke. It was very innocent.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Gregg Popovich, David Stern, Tim Duncan, Referees, Joey Crawford 

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban loves competition and wants to win championships. Cuban, a billionaire according to Forbes magazine, also understands business. Winning titles and making money do not always follow the same path, as Cuban knows well, having lost money for years as the Mavs' owner and having won a championship in 2010-11. Like so many thoughts that have emerged since the NBA fined the San Antonio Spurs $250,000 for coach Gregg Popovich's decision to rest healthy players against the Miami Heat, Cuban saw both sides with clear-eyed vision. "Everybody who planned to watch San Antonio vs. Miami on TNT, we've got disappointed customers all over the place," Cuban told reporters Saturday. "When I say our biggest customer, TV is our biggest customer. "So I'm not saying San Antonio did the wrong thing. I'm just saying I understand exactly why the league did what they did." USA Today

Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Mark Cuban, Gregg Popovich, David Stern 

The NBA and owners need to keep TV partners and fans from souring on the game. One NBA owner who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the topic told USA TODAY Sports that he sided with Stern's decision and called the fine fair. While it may not have played a factor in Miami last week, owners in general want an opponent's best players playing, when healthy, because it helps sell tickets in many markets. The diverging interests of the league and teams played out Thursday with Popovich's decision to send healthy players home instead of playing them against the Heat and the subsequent fine. After reading Stern's statement Friday and his comments to reporters at a Board of Governors meeting in April 2010, the timing of Popovich's decision rankled Stern – a TNT game against the defending champions one month into the season. Stern pointed out in his statement it was an "early-season game" and the Spurs "did a disservice to the league and our fans." USA Today

San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, David Stern 

Gregg Popovich said Saturday night he doesn't know if the San Antonio Spurs will appeal a $250,000 fine from the NBA for sending his star players home to rest instead of playing them against the Miami Heat. ESPN.com

San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, David Stern 

"What I do from my perspective is from a coaching perspective," said Popovich before the Spurs defeated the Grizzlies 99-95 in overtime on Saturday night. "And I think the league operates from a business perspective. And I think that's reflective in the action that they took." ESPN.com

San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, David Stern 

Cuban said where the Spurs went wrong is not bringing their marquee players to a game that was shown on TNT. If the Spurs had done the same thing in a game not played on national TV, Cuban said they likely would not have been issued a fine. "Everybody who planned to watch San Antonio vs. Miami on TNT, we've got disappointed customers all over the place," Cuban said before Saturday's Mavericks home game against Detroit. "When I say our biggest customer, TV is our biggest customer. "So I'm not saying San Antonio did the wrong thing. I'm just saying I understand exactly why the league did what they did." Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Mark Cuban, Gregg Popovich 

"I tried to find every angle not to [side with Stern], but I do know who pays our bills," Cuban said. "That is the driver for all things financial in sports -- period, end of story. "And when you [mess] with the money train you get [fined]." Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Mark Cuban, Gregg Popovich 

"It's a difficult situation for everybody," Del Negro said. "I completely understand coaches wanting to manage the season and the schedule. Nobody knows their teams better than coaches. I thought the penalty was severe." A reporter then decided to have a little fun with Del Negro. "You played for him," he asked. "Did he want to send you home?" Del Negro smiled and replied, "All the time." Los Angeles Daily News

Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Vinny Del Negro, Mark Cuban, Gregg Popovich 

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said before Saturday’s game with Memphis that small forward Kawhi Leonard is unlikely to make his return during the Spurs’ upcoming three-game home stand. “I don’t think so,” he said when asked if Leonard will play against the Grizzlies, Milwaukee (Wednesday) or Houston (Friday). San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, Injuries, Kawhi Leonard 

Marc J. Spears: There will not be any separate fine or suspension levied to Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, league source said. Twitter @SpearsNBAYahoo

San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Gregg Popovich 

Stern said in a statement announcing the fine that the Spurs did a “disservice to the league and its fans.” Rivers said he understood but sympathized more with Popovich. “I don’t like it,” Rivers said. “I do get the other side of it, but it’s a tough one. You’ve got to coach your team to win in the long run.” WEEI.com

Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Doc Rivers, Coaching, Gregg Popovich 

BScott's initial reaction to Spurs' $250,000 fine: "Wow." It would appear NBA Commissioner David Stern is headed down a slippery slope with his $250,000 fine of the Spurs for sending home a number of their best players prior to Thursday's game against the Miami Heat. But Cavs coach Byron Scott doesn't think it will impact the way teams handle their lineups. "I don’t know if it’s going to get to that point where you say, 'We have to check with the league,'" he said. "I think most coaches are going to do what they feel is best for their players and their team." Sulia

Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Byron Scott, Coaching, Gregg Popovich 

Before the game started, Stern also released a statement promising "substantial sanctions." He wasn't kidding. "I thought as a coach you can do what's best for your team," said Lakers forward Antawn Jamison, a 15-year veteran. "But with the ratings, being on TNT and people seeing the San Antonio Spurs play Miami, David has a different agenda. "It didn't surprise me (Popovich) rested those guys. It surprised me the NBA said something." Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Gregg Popovich, Antawn Jamison