San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is currently out indefinitely as he recovers from an illness. The team announced that Popovich did not travel with the Spurs on their current road trip, which includes games against the Los Angeles Clippers and the Houston Rockets. The Spurs are set to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.
During Popovich's absence, Mitch Johnson will be stepping in as the interim coach. Johnson was informed just hours before a recent game against the Minnesota Timberwolves that Popovich, who is 75 years old, would be unavailable due to an undisclosed illness.
Johnson expressed understanding of the situation, stating, 'He's not feeling well. This has happened before. I think everybody's just always got to be ready for the next man up. We've had it with injuries and sometimes people get sick or don't feel well or things come up in life. He's just not feeling well.'
This is not the first time Johnson has filled in as head coach in Popovich's absence. Former assistant coaches Tim Duncan and Becky Hammon have also taken on the role of head coach due to Popovich's health issues in the past five seasons.
Despite Popovich's absence, the Spurs managed to secure a victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a score of 113-103 in their recent game.
Popovich holds the record for the most career victories in the NBA with 1,390 wins, along with 170 postseason victories and five NBA titles. He is currently in his 29th season as head coach, all of which have been with the San Antonio Spurs.
For more NBA news and updates, visit AP NBA.
