10:38 PM ET
Puff Daddy and Mase topped the Billboard Hot 100 charts with their smash tune “Cant Nobody Hold Me Down” the last time the San Antonio Spurs missed the NBA playoffs.
Thats how long its been– method back in the 1996-97 season.
The last buzzer sounded Thursday night with the Utah Jazz topping San Antonio 118-112 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, formally removing the Spurs from contention for a Western Conference play-in spot and ending their record-tying run of 22 successive postseason looks.
” It implies a lot to a lot of individuals probably, however I dont harp on the past,” stated famous Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who caught five NBA titles during that period. “That stuffs completely [not] crucial; whats crucial is the minute you do what youve got to do then you proceed, but looking at the past does not do much good. Any success weve had actually has actually been due to the fact that weve had some great gamers.”
2 RelatedThe Spurs entered Thursdays game having won three in a row in spite of being predicted as playoff long shots getting in the NBAs Walt Disney World bubble. Triumphes by the Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns ahead of Thursdays tipoff officially sealed San Antonios elimination, however the Spurs managed to remain in contention right till completion.
” Im more thrilled about this than anything you guys are discussing right now, non-successes or successes, because the success for streaks or whatever the hell youre talking about ended,” Popovich stated. “I could care less about that. Im thrilled at the way they played here.”
He applauded the effort of his core of young players after the reboot in showing up simply except reaching the play-in round, which begins Saturday and matches No. 8 Portland versus No. 9 Memphis.
” They had no shot to enter into this thing and essentially willed themselves into it to have this opportunity,” he included. “The development of the young kids largely playing the way they did, this is the very best weve played all year. Ive really enjoyed it.”
Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan stated the groups removal was difficult to swallow.
” I can deal with the truth if we headed out there and it had to boil down to us losing or winning and we lost,” he said. “I sort of could accept that a little bit more than seeing other groups playing and their starters not really playing and providing the other team a possibility to kind of win, so that was exceptionally aggravating.”
Eric WoodyardESPN
” It suggests a lot to a lot of individuals probably, however I do not dwell on the past,” stated legendary Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who recorded 5 NBA titles throughout that period. Any success weve had actually has actually been due to the fact that weve had some terrific gamers.”
” Im more excited about this than anything you people are talking about right now, successes or non-successes, due to the fact that the success for streaks or whatever the hell youre talking about ended,” Popovich stated. Im thrilled at the way they played here.”
“The advancement of the young kids mainly playing the way they did, this is the best weve played all year.
According to Elias Sports Bureau research, 117 active NBA gamers were born upon or after April 20, 1997– the last day of the Spurs 1996-97 season, when they previously missed out on the playoffs before this season. That includes gamers from the eight teams that were not in the bubble, according to ESPN Stats & & Information research.
The 22-year run of playoff areas tied the Philadelphia 76ers franchise for the longest in NBA history. The 76ers, starting as the Syracuse Nationals before moving to Philadelphia, went to the playoffs every year from 1950 through 1971.
The Houston Rockets now have the longest active postseason streak at 8 seasons.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
