Tim Duncan fills in for Gregg Popovich as Spurs coach
Tim Duncan will serve as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night, replacing Gregg Popovich, who will miss the road game against the Charlotte Hornets because of personal business, the team announced.
Earlier this season, Duncan was the acting head coach when Popovich was ejected during the a loss to Portland on Nov. 16.
Duncan spent his entire 19-year career with the Spurs and has been an assistant coach since July 2019.
Popovich is expected to return for San Antonio's next game against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.
Spurs assistant Will Hardy said he and fellow assistant Becky Hammon would collaborate with Duncan.
"Yeah, absolutely," Hardy said. "It's always collaborative between all of us. When Pop got ejected against Portland earlier in the year, Tim took over, but obviously it takes all three of us. We obviously work closely together all season, so it won't be any different tonight."
Duncan will not address the media before or after the game, instead letting Hardy handle those duties.
Duncan, 43, won five NBA championships with the Spurs and will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.
The Spurs have lost seven of their last 10 games and entered Tuesday's game with a 25-34 record, four games behind the Grizzlies for the Western Conference's final playoff spot.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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