Maybe it's just that Gregg Popovich is just a great actor.
Deadspin.com posted a video Sunday of Craig Sager's son, Craig II, doing a sideline interview with the San Antonio Spurs coach during the third quarter of Game 1 of the Spurs' first-round playoff matchup against the Dallas Mavericks.
It was the younger Craig who informed the world via Twitter that his father was battling leukemia and was to start treatment on Friday.
The NBA tributes took place throughout the weekend as the 2014 playoffs started.
Newsday quoted LeBron James talking about the absence of the elder Sager during the postseason.
"He's a big part of basketball," James said Saturday at AmericanAirlines Arena, a day before the Miami Heat's 98-85 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats in their first-round playoff series. "First of all, my prayers and my family's prayers goes out to him and his family, and hopefully he has a speedy recovery.
"But he's going to be missed. It's just always great seeing Craig show up to the game and always high energy. His suits are always high energy, as well. So he's going to be missed. But his health is more important than this game of basketball, for sure."
But it was the "effervescent" Popovich, whose between-quarter interviews have become must-see TV themselves for his usually truculent behavior, that had, perhaps, the most heart-felt comments toward Sager during the interview with his son.
Popovich has been outspoken in his distaste for in-game interviews and has conducted most of them as such, oftentimes with the elder Sager as the interviewer. But his interview Saturday showed a compassionate man not nearly as gruff as he often appears to be.
In his statement through Turner Sports, Sager referenced Popovich in confirming his condition:
"My favorite time of year - city to city, round by round, 40 games in 40 nights. A dramatic turn has matched me with acute myeloid leukemia. From the sidelines to being sidelined, 40 veins and 40 electrolytes. Too bad, I had some probing questions for Pop."
His son's interview with the Spurs coach will make Sager's return interview with Popovich, whether this year or next as long as his health improves, perhaps the most-anticipated sideline interview ever.
Will you actively seek out to watch the next interview between San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
