SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Count Spurs coach Gregg Popovich among the veterans who did not make the trip to Sacramento for the team’s preseason opener Thursday.
As has been his occasional custom in recent seasons, Popovich opted to stay home with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Boris Diaw as the Spurs take on the Kings.
Lead assistant Ettore Messina, who coached a similarly short-handed version of the Spurs to a 120-91 loss last preseason in Phoenix, will take over the team again tonight at Sleep Train Arena.