The Coaching Presence in the Boston-Atlanta Series Nobody is Talking About

Each of the four games in this Boston-Atlanta series has been impacted heavily by Derrick White or Dejounte Murray, both former players for the San Antonio Spurs and Gregg Popovich. Coincidence?

ATLANTA –  The stars coming into this Boston-Atlanta series were obvious: The Celtics are powered by Jayson Tatum, a First Team All-NBA talent who will likely finish in the top five for league MVP this season. 

For the Hawks, Trae Young led the league in assists this season and remains among the most lethal scorers in the game. 

But there’s another larger-than-life factor in this series that, upon close inspection, can’t be ignored. 

Gregg Popovich.