By John Denton

March 31, 2015

ORLANDO – At some point during Orlando’s game against San Antonio on Wednesday night, James Borrego will call for a timeout, assemble the Magic around him and say something identical to what Gregg Popovich is barking at his Spurs.

How could he not considering that Borrego used to listen, chart and absorb at every word out of Popovich’s mouth during his seven seasons with the Spurs? Light years separate the two coaches, of course, in terms of success and experience – Popovich has five NBA titles, he’s one of nine coaches with more than 1,000 career wins and he’s the NBA longest-tenured head coach, while Borrego is just 23 games into his interim gig – but the latter makes no secret about the fact that there’s a bit of Popovich sprinkled into everything that he does while guiding the Magic.

``I think about him every time I step on that floor,’’ Borrego said candidly of Popovich’s influence. ``And I constantly refer to him, think back to him and wonder what he would do – while still trying to be my own coach. I have to find my own way through that, but I do often think about him.’’

In his nearly eight weeks on the job as the Magic’s interim coach since taking over for the fired Jacque Vaughn on Feb. 5, Borrego has faced off against former coaching colleagues in Monty Williams (New Orleans), Brett Brown (Philadelphia) and Mike Budenholzer (Atlanta). While those meetings were certainly packed with emotion for Borrego, this is entirely different. This is the pupil against the master; the former intern against the living legend; interim against incomparable.

When Borrego secured the job as interim coach for the Magic (22-52), one of the first people to call and offer advice and support was Popovich. And when the Spurs’ coach won his 1,000th game back on Feb. 9, Borrego made sure to contact his former boss and congratulate him. In typical Popovich fashion, he jabbed at Borrego – who had one head coaching victory at the time – about not trying to catch his wins mark.

Now, on the eve of their first meeting as head coaches on Wednesday at the Amway Center, Borrego is still talking to Popovich every chance he gets in an attempt to gather knowledge.

``We’ve talked in the last couple of days. It’s just some good ol’ chat and support and restaurant talk, too,’’ Borrego said of Popovich, a noted fine wine connoisseur. ``There’s a lot of pressure when Pop’s looking for a restaurant.’’

The Magic have been off since Friday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons, and they are hoping that the four-day break in the schedule can help refresh them for a final push over the last eight games of the regular season. Orlando desperately wants to finish strong and build some momentum going into what promises to be a very important summer for the franchise.

``We need it, we need to head into the summer with a little momentum,’’ Magic forward Maurice Harkless said. ``We need it to feel good about ourselves. No one wants to go into the summer on a losing streak. We need to win a few games and get some momentum heading into the offseason so that we can come back in here September and October and be ready to go.’’

Borrego has continued to stress to his players that everyone is under evaluation over these final eight games – including himself as the team’s interim coach. In the face of so much upheaval after having to take over a team at midseason, Borrego simply tried to get his players to focus on the next practice and the next game and no worry so much about the long-term consequences.

The Magic started 4-2 under Borrego, but injuries and a string of games against playoff-bound teams have caught up to the Magic. Despite the team’s 7-15 mark over the past seven weeks, several Magic players have been impressed with Borrego’s ability to be both firm and supportive.

``He’s felt like our head coach from Day 1 because he’s made sure to stay on us, hold us accountable and work us so that we get better,’’ said Magic standout center Nikola Vucevic, one of Borrego’s biggest supporters. ``Even though it hasn’t been the season that we wanted, he still pushes us. He still wants us to play hard and win games. He’s looking at the long term and he doesn’t think about just getting through these last eight games. He coaching us like he’s going to be our coach for a long while and he wants us getting better. That’s something that guys on this team appreciate.’’

Borrego’s fire and his willingness to push players is undoubtedly a product of Popovich, who gave him his big break in the NBA when he hired the skinny, 6-foot-4 coaching wanna-be back in 2003 as an intern and then a video coordinator. Borrego joked that Popovich didn’t know his name for the first six months and that it took another six months for him to look him in the eye.

Because video coordinators usually work hand-in-hand with head coaches in breaking down game footage, scouting upcoming foes and cutting up halftime scenarios for adjustment purposes, Borrego was no tucked-away and forgotten intern. He spent many late nights and early mornings in dark film rooms with Popovich, watching and learning. And, as Borrego quickly found out, there are no free passes with Popovich, who takes pride in pushing San Antonio staffers to be givers as much as they are takers.

``I was so fortunate to even get a few minutes with him my first year, and he didn’t even know my name,’’ said Borrego, who quickly became known as `J.B.’ to Popovich. ``But as the year went along, we spent more time in the film room together, just Pop and I one-on-one watching film. I would say nothing. He would watch. And slowly but surely, he’d begin to ask me questions. We’d talk basketball. Our relationship just continued to grow. He put me in great positions to grow as a coach, as a basketball individual.’’

Even though Borrego has emulated Popovich in every way imaginable, he was worked to craft his own style. He is much more stoic along the sidelines – other than the shrill whistling that he uses to get the attention of his players. He’s formulated his own style – one that Magic players have responded to with better defense and crisper ball movement.

Again, it was Popovich who had an influence over Borrgeo being himself along the sideline.

``Coach your team. Be yourself. Don’t try to be something that you’re not. And give your team your best every night,’’ Borrego said of the advice that Popovich told him the night he got the Magic interim head coaching job. ``That’s what I’ve tried to do. I think about Pop every day that I coach this team and I’m learning. I still rely on him every day even without talking to him.’’

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