By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
In the game of the San Antonio Spurs against Indiana Pacers Ettore Messina became the first European coach who got a win in the NBA. Messina was replacing coach Gregg Popovich who is recovering from a “minor medical procedure”, and the Spurs under Messina prevailed over Pacers (106-100).
It wasn’t easy to fill in for a legendary coach, but Messina, a legend already himself in Europe, did a pretty good job. As he said before the game: “I don’t mean that you feel him over your shoulder because he’s been terrific to leave me confident and quiet, and not over-coaching me. But at the same time you surely think, what would he do now? What would he like? Who would he like to call a play for? So what I think I should do is try to be myself with my limitations rather than be a poor imitation of Coach Pop. So forget that. Try to be who you are, and if it’s enough, it will be enough”.
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