NBA adjusts Gregg Popovich's career record, crediting Mitch Johnson with 77 Spurs games from '24-25

The NBA has adjusted all-time wins leader Gregg Popovich’s career record as coach of the San Antonio Spurs, removing the 77 games that he missed last season and crediting those wins and losses to new Spurs coach Mitch Johnson.

Popovich’s final record has been reset to 1,390-824, which is where it was entering a game on Nov. 2. That was the day that Popovich had a stroke at the team’s arena in San Antonio and Johnson, one of his assistant coaches, took over as acting coach.

Popovich missed the remainder of the season and Johnson coached the final 77 games, going 32-45. The NBA and the Spurs agreed that it made sense to remove those games from Popovich’s record and credit them to Johnson, who was named head coach when Popovich announced his retirement earlier this year.

“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said when revealing that decision. He remains in place as Spurs president and is still around the franchise as much as he can.

It is not unprecedented for the NBA to adjust win-loss totals. The NBA made a similar decision regarding the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1979-80 season; Jack McKinney was head coach and was seriously injured in a bicycle accident in November, which led to Paul Westhead taking over on an interim basis. Westhead was eventually hired as head coach; the NBA credits McKinney with a 10-4 record that year and Westhead with going 50-18.

The revised numbers do little to affect the NBA record books. Popovich remains the winningest coach in league history, 53 wins ahead of Don Nelson’s 1,335 victories. Popovich’s winning percentage goes up slightly from .621 to .628, which — among coaches with 400 games — is seventh in NBA history behind Phil Jackson, Billy Cunningham, K.C. Jones, Red Auerbach, Steve Kerr and Pat Riley.

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FILE - Former San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, right, hugs Mitch Johnson, left, the new head coach of the San Antonio Spurs NBA basketball team, in San Antonio, May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, second from right, yells at referee Bennie Adams, left, while being restrained by Spurs assistant coaches Mitch Johnson, right, and Becky Hammon during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 18, 2022, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate, file)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot by LeBron James and stole the ball from him on consecutive possessions in the final minute, and the Milwaukee Bucks blew a fourth-quarter lead before rallying for a 105-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points, and he hit two free throws to break a tie after Antetokounmpo blocked a driving layup attempt by James with 39 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo then knocked the ball out of James' hands from behind with 2 seconds left, and Porter hit two more free throws to seal Milwaukee's fifth win in seven games — its first over a team with a winning record since Dec. 11. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points in his lowest-scoring effort since returning from his right calf strain.

Luka Doncic had 24 points and nine assists on 8-of-25 shooting for the Lakers. He had his lowest-scoring performance since Christmas, and he fouled out on Porter's 3-point attempt with 16.2 seconds to play.

James had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, but Antetokoumpo got the best of the top scorer in NBA history at crunch time. Los Angeles has lost six of 10.

Milwaukee surged to a double-digit lead in the first half even with Antetokounmpo on a minutes restriction in his injury return. Doncic scored 12 points in the third quarter but also committed four fouls in the period, including his fifth of the game.

Los Angeles abruptly erased its deficit by going on a 17-4 run to open the fourth, with James putting the Lakers ahead when he stole the ball from Antetokounmpo for a layup with 6:02 left. Milwaukee missed nine of its first 12 shots in the period, but Porter's layup tied it with two minutes left.

Lakers starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura remain sidelined by injury, but Hachimura (calf) might return early next week from his six-game absence, coach JJ Redick said.

Bucks: At Denver on Sunday.

Lakers: At Sacramento on Monday.

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Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart, left, tries to shoot as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)