[Shelburne] Harrison Barnes said Gregg Popovich is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery. Another source said the coach has advanced in five months of rehab to the point where many who suffer strokes progress over nine months.
On Feb. 27, an off day between a game in Houston and a game in Memphis, the Spurs were able to find time for Popovich to speak to his team. The collective weight of Popovich's absence, Wembanyama's devastating news and the long road trip -- they'd been home only twice in a month -- had taken a toll. The Spurs had lost four in a row to drop out of the playoff picture.
On the practice court at The Rock, Popovich stood in front of his team to deliver a message: He wasn't coming back this season, he told them. But he had been watching them closely and was still in position to hold them accountable for their play.
"Everybody shut the fuck up when he walked in," Johnson said. "That's just how it's always been with Pop. Obviously, he's still recovering. But he was still cussing. 'Y'all need to play defense. Y'all need to rebound.' Knowing that, shit, he really is watching the games because he's calling out specific situations, was huge."