Popovich on Miami's Game 2 finals victory: Heat 'didn't handle that win real well'

Gregg Popovich worries about the Spurs becoming satisfied with themselves (read the story below), especially without the motivation from a previous year's heartbreak to lean on this year.

The coach revealed in an interview with the San Antonio Express-News that he kept a framed photo from Game 6 of the 2013 finals - of the Spurs leading by 13 in the third quarter - hanging in the team's practice facility for players and coaches to see every day of the 2013-2014 season.

The Spurs, of course, missed an opportunity to win the championship that night when Ray Allen tied the game with a late three-pointer before the Heat prevailed in overtime. Miami won Game 7 and the title days later.

Perhaps Popovich can help Erik Spoelstra and the Heat find some motivation from their own finals loss this time around, however, as he described what he believes happened to Miami in June's rematch.

Via the San Antonio Express-News:

“When they won Game 2,” he said, “they probably didn't handle that win real well. They were probably thinking that we got lucky in Game 1, with the air conditioning issue, and they thought they were just going to do it again. As two-time defending champs, it was natural. This had become their place in the world.”

While Popovich may have a point about the Heat putting too much stock in the series' opening games, the fact is the Spurs were the superior team all season, and only reinforced that fact in the five-game series.

Also, while the Spurs brought virtually the same team back in 2013-14 that had lost the heartbreaking 2013 Finals to the Heat, Miami will bring back a significantly weaker team in 2014-15 after losing LeBron James to free agency.