聖安東尼奧馬刺隊在現役最偉大的教練 Gregg Popovich 的帶領下，在沒有主將 Kawhi Leonard 的前 27 場比賽中，打出 19 勝 8 敗西區前三的佳績，上季表現低迷的 LaMarcus Aldridge 復活是關鍵。
上季是 LaMarcus Aldridge 轉戰馬刺第一個沒有 Tim Duncan 的賽季，Gregg Popovich 期許他待在肘區，或者接應，或者面框，甚至去策應，這一連串的要求最終導致 LaMarcus Aldridge 的水土不服，得分與籃板雙雙創下新秀賽季以來的新低（17.3 分 7.3 籃板），季末失意 LaMarcus Aldridge 一度傳出即將離隊的消息…Gregg Popovich 正視了自己在使用 LaMarcus Aldridge 的問題：
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“We broke bread a few times, talked about it, laughed about it, discussed what we thought needed to happen, and frankly 95 percent of it fell on me because I made an error in trying to change him too much. That might sound odd, but he’d been in the league nine years and there’s one way he plays on the offensive end and feels comfortable with. I tried to turn him into Jack Sikma, told him I was going to teach you how to play on the elbow, go on the wing, face up. It was confusing for him. It really didn’t fit his style of play. I was guilty of over coaching in a sense.”
「我們花了一些時間促膝長談，討論了彼此的想法，而他之前沒打好 95% 是我的問題，因為我犯了個錯：試圖改變他。這聽起來很不尋常，他已經用了一套舒適的進攻方式九年，我還試圖改變他可以像 Jack Sikma 的方式一樣打球：在肘區，去翼區或者面框。我對這自以為是的過度指導感到愧疚。」
“We came to an agreement on what had to happen. Well, on defense, I told him ‘I’m going to get on you like I do everyone else. But on offense, I don’t even want to talk to you. When they double you, kick it. Other than that, you be LaMarcus Aldridge.’ You see the result right now. He’s happy, confident and kicking everybody’s butt.”
「我們達成了共識，防守端聽我的，但進攻端，聽你的。即便是包夾，現在的 LaMarcus Aldridge 也非常有自信能打爆對手。」
只能說，Gregg Popovich 真的是一個「帶心」的教練，不像 Tony Parker 或者 Kawhi Leonard 一樣初進聯盟便接受球隊的養成計劃，LaMarcus Aldridge 的進攻端在來馬刺之前就已經證明了，這也是當初馬刺找他的加盟的主因。
LaMarcus Aldridge 表示：
“I was frustrated. I just wanted to help more and I think he understood that. Now I feel as confident as I was in Portland. I’m definitely being myself and playing my game and not overthinking and not worried about what’s going to happen if I don’t play well. I’m not a face-up guy. I like to have my back to the basket more. Pop’s given me the freedom to be myself again and that has shown itself on the court.”
「上一季我很沮喪，現在我感覺像在波特蘭一樣有自信，打球時不用顧慮太多，我不是一個面框球員，我喜歡背框多一點，教練給了我這個自由。」
而本季 LaMarcus Aldridge 的表現 22.7 分 8.3 籃板，eFG% 0.513 的表現已重現當年波特蘭拓荒者隊的一哥風采，五屆全明星，MVP 票選 7-10 名的等級；進階數據顯示 LaMarcus Aldridge 上季 ORtg 與 DRtg 分別為 111 與 104，本季為 118 與 104，證明了 Gregg Popovich 的調整有效（進攻聽你的，防守聽我的），BPM 也從上季的 1.0 進步至本季的 3.0，成功地在 Kawhi Leonard 缺陣時扮演球隊 go-to guy 的角色。
很少教練像 Gregg Popovich 一樣如此謙遜，願意承認當初錯誤對待球員的使用方式，即便他已經如此的功勳卓著…五枚冠軍戒、多年 50+ 勝！
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但這也是 Gregg Popovich 之所以成功的原因，難怪馬刺的球隊文化如此令人嚮往；本賽季的復活表現讓暑假 LaMarcus Aldridge 三年7200萬的延長合約顯得物有所值，馬刺的下一關就是傷癒復出的 Kawhi Leonard 如何在進攻端與已復活的 LaMarcus Aldridge 形成相輔相成的互利關係，筆者拭目以待！