SAN ANTONIO -- Manu Ginobili knew how important Gregg Popovich is to the San Antonio Spurs even before the coach set the NBA record for most wins with a single franchise.
Popovich earned his 1,128th victory Saturday night, leading the Spurs to a 121-97 victory over the Denver Nuggets. He passed former Utah coach Jerry Sloan for the mark.
"The record is just a number," Ginobili said. "He didn't need that record to define what he means for this franchise, the NBA, in the last 20 years. The fact that he's been the coach of the team for so many years is already an impressive accomplishment.