Gregg Popovich spoke for about 15 minutes, sometimes unable to hide his emotions, all the while wearing a T-shirt that had Tim Duncans face printed on the front. Nate Lowe Rays Jersey . When the last question was answered, the coach turned, put his hands in his pockets and silently walked into a new era for the San Antonio Spurs.Its a day Popovich knew was coming.That clearly didnt make it any easier.Hes irreplaceable, Popovich said.Choking up at times and making wisecracks at others, Popovich bade a public farewell to Duncans playing career on Tuesday. The five-time NBA champion announced his retirement on Monday in a statement released through the team, ending a 19-year career that was spent entirely in San Antonio.I figured I better come out here and do this and somehow say goodbye to him, Popovich said. Which is an impossibility, for a lot of reasons.Popovich spoke in a corner of the Spurs practice facility in San Antonio, the spot where he holds court with reporters after workouts during the season. There was no news conference, no elaborate setup, not even any live coverage permitted. Even for something that will have so much impact on the team, the league and the sport, the Spurs kept things as simple as possible.Duncan is leaving. In some respects, everything is changing. In others, nothing will.I think it will be a seamless transition for the team, former NBA coach and current television analyst Jeff Van Gundy said. I think who its going to be hard on is Gregg Popovich.Popovich gave no indications otherwise Tuesday.All in one answer -- the premise being picking one person in history to have dinner with -- Popovich made mention of Mother Teresa, Jesus, the Dalai Lama, William F. Buckley, Gore Vidal and actor John Cleese. But given the choice between any of those people, or anyone else, Popovich said he would choose to dine with Duncan.I can honestly tell you my dinner would be with Timmy, Popovich said. And it would be because hes the most real, consistent, true person that Ive ever met in my life.I can be on him in a game and ask him why hes not rebounding in a relatively stern way and really get on him in front of everybody, Popovich continued. And on his way back to the court, hell say, `Thanks for the motivation, Pop. Thanks for the support, Pop. Then hell turn away with his eyes up in the air and well both start laughing. And people dont see those things. But his teammates have and thats why his teammates love him.Duncan will go down as one of the best to ever play the game, and Popovich said he was the best teammate any Spurs player could have had.There were moments of humor, too, like Popovich saying Duncan made him wear the clothes he gave him -- including the shirt he donned Tuesday -- or else he wouldnt play.I remember a pretty neat summer league game when he first came in and (Greg) Ostertag blocked his shot, Popovich said when asked what moment of Duncans career he enjoyed most. That was pretty cool.Mostly, Popovichs words showed sadness and appreciation.He spoke at length about Duncans humility, and how that was instilled in him long ago. Popovich told a story about when Duncans father, who died in 2002, told the Spurs coach he needed to ensure his son would not be changed by fame or fortune.I can still remember before his father passed away, looking me in the eye and saying `Im going to hold you responsible to make sure that when hes done hes the same person he is now. And in that respect, he is, Popovich said. Hes grown as a person, as we all do, through experiences. But his inner core, he was over himself when he came in and after all these accolades and all this success, hes still over himself. Hasnt changed a lick.Duncan and Popovich won more games together than any player-coach combination in NBA history -- and Popovich said he owes his own success to the now-retired star, not the other way around.To think of a season without Duncan, Popovich said, is mindboggling.I would not be standing here if it wasnt for Tim Duncan, Popovich said. Id be in the Budweiser league, someplace in America, fat and still trying to play basketball or coach basketball. Hes why Im standing.---AP Basketball Writer Jon Krawczynski in Minneapolis and Associated Press Writer Raul Dominguez in San Antonio contributed to this report. Charlie Morton Rays Jersey . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. Trevor Richards Rays Jersey . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. https://www.cheapraysonline.com/1756i-jo...ersey-rays.html . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. India are slowly but steadily becoming like the coolest things in the world: Batmans gadgets.The comics, cartoons, graphic novels and movies take a unanimous stand in depicting them as some of the most resourceful tools ever imagined. It may be too soon to confirm that Virat Kohli and his men could be seen in much the same way. Just as it would be improper not to give them credit for the tough Test cricket they have played since their tour of Australia in 2014-15. Four multi-match Test series played, four series won. And, now, an unassailable lead in the fifth.The way India have gone 2-0 up after three of the five matches against England bears repeating. They lost the toss, their first-choice opener, and the first hour of play in Mohali. They rallied to keep the opposition well under par - Alastair Cook wanted 400, he was stuck with 283. They were patient against high-class bowling. They showed the wherewithal to fight back from a bad situation - 156 for 5 - and finish in a position of dominance - 417. The spinners excelled. The fast bowlers made an impact. And all of this was done on a pitch which wasnt a rank turner. India becoming capable of such performances is the result of the depth in their side.R Ashwin has found a way to make ordinary cricket balls behave like batarangs: going one way for a distance, lulling the enemy into a false sense of security and then taking him out. Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav have been fast. Theyve been mean, bouncing batsmen out and harnessing both conventional and reverse swing. They have even stolen the show. Just like a couple of Batmobiles. And then there is Kohli himself. Larger than life. Doing unexplainable things. Always up for a fight. He is this teams Batman. Anil Kumble, of course, is Alfred.An important factor in Indias success is how they have been capable of having and executing plans - and more pertinently, theyve only had to go as far as plans A and B.For example, all the bowlers have tried to probe for Cooks outside edge. The England captain has reacquainted himself with the off stump since his slump in form a few years ago, and so may not be the most forthcoming to nick off to the slips. However, by setting up a routine where Cook keeps dragging his front foot across, he has ended up vulnerable to the ball coming back in. In these cases, the bat would have to come around the pad a little bit, which creates a gap that Shami and Ashwin have both exploited in this series. Inndia are trying not to be desperate for wickets. Cole Sulser Rays Jersey. They work for them, intelligently and relentlessly. The spinners keep the runs down and the pressure up. The quicks make it a point to be as hostile as possible. All of it culminates in the batsman feeling he has nowhere to go but back to the pavilion.Its great to have the seamers bowl in short bursts, Kohli said. You know, bowl with pace, rather than long spells in the heat. Having quality spinners obviously helps the fast bowlers to stay fresh and come in for those quick spells of three-four overs and try to create opportunities. It has to be done in partnerships, and I think they are combining really well.The batsmen, especially the lower order, have profited by the simplest of methods as well: making sure they stay at the crease.There is no magic as such, Ravindra Jadeja, who comes in at No. 7 or 8, said. The simple thing is that we are focussing more. In the nets, we give ourselves more batting time. We speak to the batting coach a lot and, mentally, we are prepared to take responsibility and try to bat well in difficult situations.That India have not been harassed into digging into their contingencies shows an increase in their skills level. They havent let England get on a roll since the Rajkot draw. They havent panicked. Jos Buttler tried to instigate some panic in the second innings in Mohali, but, sensing his aggression, India made a bowling change - Jayant Yadav - and installed a man on the wide long-on boundary - Jadeja, one of their best fielders - and piggy-backed on Buttlers aggression towards victory.India have met many challenges over the last two years, barring, of course, the dreaded overseas tour where the pitches aid fast bowling. Good stories, though, build up to a clash with the arch enemy.While it seems imprudent to pitch a 13-Test home season, or for that matter the series wins over South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies, as fillers for the climax, it is also impossible not to. Success away from their own shores is what the fans are demanding; it is the caveat that has tagged along with every praise India have earned. This squad, though, gives Kohli plenty of options, and he has shown an ability as captain to enhance their threat. It doesnt seem too outlandish to think that things will change come the next tour. ' ' '