Playoff Gregg Popovich is here to ruin your sideline interview

Gregg Popovich started the NBA playoffs in fine form on Saturday, shutting down reporter questions with thrilling disdain.

Gregg Popovich is the greatest coach in NBA history, a man whose intelligence, humility, force of personality and basketball IQ have all helped him build the most respected, and one of the most successful, franchises in all of sports.

Popovich, possibly more importantly, is also the world’s worst giver of in-game interviews. Or at least he’s the best in the world at deliberately giving bad in-game interviews, such is his disdain for the whole (admittedly very pointless) charade.

Popovich enthusiasts will be pleased to know the great man has already graced the NBA playoffs with a classic of the “mid-game sideline interviews are stupid” genre, shutting down not one but two whole questions about the Spurs’ slow start against the Warriors.

Pop, of course, is right. The Spurs are going to need to play better if they’re going beat the Warriors, even this banged-up, Stephen Curry-less Warriors. When JaVale McGee is your opponent’s standout player, you know you’re in trouble. The Spurs need to play better.

In their defense, they’ve got injury problems of their own, with Kawhi Leonard set to miss the playoffs with the same injury that kept him out of the regular season. LaMarcus Aldridge is going to have to put up some scary numbers if the Spurs are to advance.

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With San Antonio’s playoff run expected to be brief, perhaps it’s no surprise Popovich unleashed his best stuff so early. There are only so many sideline reporters’ questions to blow off before it’s time to go home.