Popovich calls one of the quickest timeouts in NBA history

SAN ANTONIO – Monday is Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich’s 70th birthday and if there was any doubt San Antonio’s longtime head coach was slowing down, the timeout he called 16 seconds into Sunday’s game would indicate otherwise.

Popovich called the quick timeout after Washington’s Thomas Bryant had an uncontested dunk shortly after the tip. The play drew Popovich’s ire and he was visibly upset with the defensive breakdown by his starting five. 

"It all starts with the first play. That kind of sets the tone for us," said Bryn Forbes, Spurs shooting guard. " I think that's what he's trying to do, set that tone and show how serious he was about the first play and the beginning of games. We just made a dumb mistake to start the game."

The Spurs responded with a 36-point first quarter and despite defensive trouble in the second quarter, beat Washington 132-119 to improve to 29-22.

Spurs guard Derrick White said after the game that he's never had a coach call that quick of a timeout. "It's not really how you want to start giving up a dunk," said White. 

Sunday was the not the first time Popovich has called the quick timeout. Last season against Cleveland, Popovich called a timeout 14 seconds into the game.

It was the quickest called timeout since March 2015, according to ESPN Stats and Info. 

During the 2011-12 season, Popovich called a timeout 18 seconds into a game at Golden State.

FiveThirtyEight Sports reported last season that Popovich regularly calls more timeouts in the first two minutes of the game than any other team has in the past decade.

Now in his 23rd season as Spurs head coach, there have been reports Popovich may not coach past this season. He also just passed Pat Riley for most coaching road wins in NBA history. 

But if Sunday was any indication about the passion Popovich still has for quality basketball, Pop could stick around for a bit longer.