Gregg Popovich slammed the Spurs for a ‘pathetic’ performance in a win against one of the worst teams in the NBA

Darren Abate/AP

The San Antonio Spurs beat the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, 96-91, to improve to 11-3 on the young season.

The Mavs were without Dirk Nowitzki and Andrew Bogut (and have won just two games this year), yet managed to out-rebound the Spurs and keep the ballgame close until the final buzzer.

This made for a classic Gregg Popovich rant after the game.

“A pathetic performance on the part of the Spurs,” he said bluntly. “I thought we showed a lack of humility, a lack of respect for the opponent. A very pathetic performance on both ends of the court, both in execution and in grunt. In fiber, in desire. It was an awful performance.”

Popovich wasn’t done there. After walking away from the media scrum and through a door into the locker room, seconds later he returns — tie crumpled in his hand — to give one final thought.

“And they deserved to win the basketball game. I forgot to say that.”

Popovich’s points are all well-founded, of course, but it’s only November and the Spurs still, y’know, won. Not that winning was ever enough fo Pop.